


Sour Candy

by chweseungkwan



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Seventeen - Freeform, TeacherAU, attemptathumor, childhoodmemories, lightangst, seungkwan - Freeform, seungkwaniscute, slowburn, verkwan, vernon - Freeform, vernonwasstupid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 11:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 25,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13857285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chweseungkwan/pseuds/chweseungkwan
Summary: Loving someone is like tasting a sour candy. It is bitter sweet when you eat it but you will always craving for more after that.orSeungkwan and Vernon were heartbroken. But when they meet again, they know that they need each other more than they can imagine.





	1. Let's meet the characters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I’m back again for another verkwan fanfic. This is my first attempt to write a fanfic with all of the member in it…maybe some side ships will be in the story. Well, I’ll try my best *winkwink*  
> The setting is where everyone already gets a job except our baby Chan.  
> The beginning of the story will be filled with angst, but I want to build the characters and reveal the secret one by one. Because I think being in love is not all about happy, happy and happy, right? There will be sacrifices from some people, friendship, and happy tears of course.  
> But don’t worry, I have soft spot on fluff story so when the drama is gone, I’ll put fluffy things on the story. Or maybe I’ll put that in between. Who knows?
> 
> Again, English is not my first language so forgive me for grammatical and spelling error *input smiling emoji here*  
> The first chapter will be about the introduction of the character.  
> I have like two unfinished stories, but I only have the whole picture on this one so yeah…there you go!

**Boo Seungkwan (23)**

| 

**Chwe Vernon Hansol (23)**  
  
---|---  
  
-          The most organized person you’ll ever meet

-          Loves wearing sweater on daily basis but only wears it in his house or outside school, instead, he wears shirts to look ‘professional’

-          Korean language teacher

-          Low key hates English (but will not tell Joshua)

-          Has a ‘cleaning day’ every Sunday when actually his apartment has nothing to clean cause it’s always left neat and clean.

-          Loves sweet and has every kinds of candies in his storage food

-          Being a vegetarian every Wednesday

-          Does 30 minutes exercise every morning (he is really good at sports, especially volley ball and basket ball)

-          He is also a book course developer

-          There must be at least a text or a picture of Jeju island in his book

-          Low key likes hip hop music although he always plays classical music on his playlist

-          Has a specific perfume for every types of occasions

-          Only being a sassy diva around his best friends (Jihoon and Jeonghan)

-          Tries to slap Jun whenever he flirts with him like Seungkwan always did to Jeonghan but failed because of Jun’s dodging skill from boxing

-          High school friends with Jihoon and Jeonghan (He met Jihoon first)

-          College friend with Joshua (they were in the same department, Language Education)

-          Always smell like a tangerine, seems like it’s his natural body odor

-          Hates something/someone messy

-          High key hates _agyeo_ (when someone acts cute) without knowing that he is a little fluff ball himself and acting cute unconsciously

-          Will get bad mood if something doesn’t go well according to his plan

-          Has a voice of an angel (that’s why Jihoon had and Joshua has a crush on him)

| 

-          The messiest person you’ll ever meet

-          His outfit is basically whether black or grey

-          His clothes are all over the place in his apartment

-          His desk is so messy but somehow he is always able to find the specific paper/book in a second

-          English language tutor

-          There are two things he manages to organize, his hair and his job

-          That’s why despite of his messy on everything, he always finishes his job on time somehow

-          Actually a workaholic

-          Handsome as hell and he knows it

-          Doesn’t really care with the food he eats (eating junk food on daily basis)

-          Has an obvious crush on Seungkwan since high school but too scared to confess

-          People think that he was a fuck boy back in high school when he actually only being nice to every girls/boys he met and his habit to smirk after talking

-          Actually a fucking virgin (Hell. He never has his first kiss yet)

-          Loves chocolate

-          Makes a rap lyrics to teach his students about types of tenses

-          Looks built but really sucks in sport

-          Still keeps the pin given by Seungkwan when he was running for class president

-          Tried to get in the same college with Seungkwan but failed the entrance test

-          Instead, he went back to his hometown and learn English education (at least I will teach language, same like Seungkwan- _Vernon_ )

-          The founder of Diamond Language Course, a community where they teach students language voluntarily

-          Gets money from making a course book and multimedia to teach English and developing tests

-          Has a Youtube channel to teach English  
  
**_ Seungkwan’s circle _ **

**Hong Jisoo/Joshua (25)**

| 

**Lee Jihoon (24)**  
  
---|---  
  
-          Seungkwan’s senior in college

-          Joins boxing for 4 years now

-          Everyone loves him because of his gentleman attitude

-          English language teacher

-          Has a major crush on Seungkwan (he said it was love at the first sight)

-          Already picturing his marriage with Seungkwan

-          Actually really-really calm

| 

-          Seungkwan’s senior in high school

-          _Agyeo_ hater with Seungkwan

-          Music teacher and a part time DJ

-          Hates skin ship but willing to cuddle with Seungkwan on a movie night

-          Basically will do anything for Seungkwan

-          In love/hate (?) relationship with Soonyoung

-          Had a crush on Seungkwan but now treats him as a younger brother (He is an over protective brother)  
  
**Yoon Jeonghan (25)**

| 

**Wen Junhui (24)**  
  
-          Seungkwan’s senior in high school

-          Math teacher

-          Actually belongs to a killer teacher type

-          Really beautiful and knows how to use it

-          Was a fuck boy back in high school

-          Was slapped by Seungkwan when he tried to flirt him but after that they became best friend

-          Loves to kiss Seungkwan’s cheeks

| 

-          Sometimes prepares lunch boxes for his teachers’ friends

-          Chinese language teacher

-          Loves winking even though he is really bad at it

-          Actually really innocent

-          Declares to be an asexual

-          Joins boxing with Joshua because he likes to sweat

-          Loves flirting Seungkwan  
  
**Kwon Soonyoung (24)**

| 

**Lee Chan (18/Senior year)**  
  
-          The owner of Carat Café

-          His café is the hangout place for Seungkwan’s squad and bail out students (he immediately calls Jihoon or Jeonghan when he spots one)

-          Always has a singing battle with Seungkwan

-          Loves to give Seungkwan free cakes

-          Almost has a crush on Seungkwan

-          In love/hate relationship with Jihoon

-          The shoulder to cry on for his friends

| 

-          A student in Seungkwan’s school and Vernon’s course

-          Jeonghan’s baby

-          Actually thinks more mature than his age or basically every older people around him

-          Loves dirty jokes (usually tries to share it to Jun)

-          Unbelievably smart

-          Savage as hell

-          Has a crush on a college girl but won’t tell anyone  
  
**_ Vernon’s cycle _ **

**Lee Seokmin (24)**

| 

**Kim Mingyu (24)**  
  
---|---  
  
-          The most normal one until he meets Soonyoung

-          Soonyoung’s roommate

-          Korean language tutor

-          The smartest on language teaching theory

-          Loves book

-          Actually loves singing but too shy to sing in public

-          Visually stunning but he doesn’t know it

-          The leader of the community

-          Vernon’s senior in high school

-          Doesn’t go to college so learning how to teach by book

 

| 

-          Easily forgets and a big clumsy adorable puppy

-          English language tutor

-          But still working in his speaking skill

-          The best in structure and language theories

-          Likes Wonwoo but doesn’t realized it yet

-          The cook in the team (he’ll make sure everyone in his team eat 3 times a day)

-          Almost choked Vernon because he shoved a melon bread to Vernon one day

-          Does a cooking show to teach procedure text

-          Wears slippers when teaching

-          The model of their community’s brochure (it makes tons of students applied on the course)

   
  
**Jeon Wonwoo (24)**

| 

**Xu Minghao (24)**  
  
-          Loves puppy *winkwink*

-          Hates being called emo

-          Actually a big prankster

-          German language tutor

-          The ‘librarian’ in the team

-          Loves sweet hates coffee

-          Usually goes to Soonyoung’s café to get his daily dose of strawberry milkshake

-          Has a Youtube channel to teach German

-          Can speak English but can’t teach it

-          Was found by Vernon to work in his community via Youtube

-          Has a dream to have his own public library

| 

-          Savage as hell but can change into an adorable bunny in split second

-          Chinese language tutor

-          Learns English and German to curse

-          A cat person that’s why he doesn’t really fond with puppies

-          Finds Seungkwan attractive

-          A celebgram

-          The one who responsible for public relation in the team

-          Has tons of friends

-          Loves black coffee

-          Casually jumps from the 2nd floor of the community building

-          Easily cries on a morning drama  
  
**Choi Seungcheol (25)**

|   
  
-          The owner of the building where the language community takes place

-          Owns a tattoo place beside the building

-          Only has temporary tattoos all over his left hand cause basically he hates the hurt

-          Actually a scaredy cat

-          Proclaimed himself as the ‘dad’ of the community

-          End up being the treasurer of the community because no one can do it

-          Join boxing with Joshua  
  
Addition

  * Seungkwan, Joshua, Jihoon, Jeonghan, and Jun are teachers in Pledis High School
  * Vernon, Seokmin, Wonwoo, Minghao, and Mingyu are the tutors in Diamond Language Community
  * The DLC is a community where people voluntarily teach language for everyone from students in school, college until adult. The tutors are about 20 people and they teach English, France, German, Korean, and Chinese. The main staffs are Vernon, Seokmin, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Minghao and Seungcheol. The community also opens an online course through Youtube channel. They just started the course and try to make a relation with other school for promoting. They get the budget from other foundations and selling course book.
  * Seungkwan, Jihoon, Jeonghan, Seokmin, and Vernon were in the same high school
  * Seungkwan, Joshua and Wonwoo were in the same college
  * Seungkwan, Joshua, Wonwoo and Jun live alone in an apartment (for Seungkwan, his is 10 minutes from school)
  * Seokmin and Soonyoung are roommate, Vernon and Minghao are roommate, and Jihoon and Jeonghan are roommate
  * Seungcheol lives in the tattoo shop
  * The rest of them lives in their house with their parents (Mingyu and Chan)



_____________

_A/N: I’m sorry for the long description of the characters, I just enjoy writing their personality like this._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midnight thoughts:  
> Isn’t ironic, in Seventeen, the members who hate agyeo the most are the members who look cute and adorable without even trying (Yes, I refer to Seungkwan and Jihoon)


	2. It's all starting here

“Okay, that’s all for today’s meeting. Can you e-mail me the minutes tomorrow, Mr. Boo?” Mr. Han, the headmaster of Pledis High closes his laptop and drinks his already cold black coffee.

“Yes, Sir.” Seungkwan finishes the minutes and plans to rewrite it in his apartment later.

“Well, see you next Monday. Don’t forget to come early cause we need to prepare the class earlier.” The rest of the teachers nod and pack up their stuff to finally going back home, enjoying weekend after grading students’ works and preparing the learning materials for next lessons.

“Good bye, Joshua.” Seungkwan pats Joshua’s shoulder who still packs up his book and dictionary.

“Wait up! I’ll walk you home.”

“Oh, you don’t have to. Your apartment is on the other side of the town anyway.” Seungkwan stops right in front of the door.

“I want to. It’s okay, Seungkwan…really.” Joshua opens the door and let Seungkwan goes first then closes the door like a gentleman he is.

The rest of the walk consists of Seungkwan telling the story in his class for the past week, about how a student made a sudden confession in the middle of his lesson and end up being rejected. Seungkwan didn’t give detention to the broken hearted student because he felt bad for him. One of his students took his picture secretly for a dare but was caught because she forgot to turn off the blitz. She got detention despite of the photo came out good in Seungkwan’s opinion. Joshua most of the time only listen and nods, he gives occasional comments and laughs at Seungkwan’s antic.

“You know we will have native speaker guests, right?” Joshua changes the topic after Seungkwan finished his story.

“Ah, yes. I heard that from Jun. They are coming from some kind of community.”

“Yes, the community teaches English and other languages voluntarily. It’s a new community actually. The representative of the community will come to the school next Monday. Mr. Han asked us to accompany them. The school wants to make a project with the community.”

“What kind of project?”

“I don’t know, we’ll find out next Monday. Ah, we’re here.” They arrive in front of Seungkwan’s apartment.

“Well, okay then…or do you want to come over for a while?” Seungkwan titled his head.

“What? Oh, I’d love to. I mean…yeah, but I have to grade papers for next Monday… It’s not that I don’t want to hang out with you… I mean it’s been a long time since we hang out together…yes, we hang out with other teachers last week and yesterday but like just only two of us…hang out…was it a month ago? Maybe, you know, not today but…tomorrow? How about that? Oh, maybe you already have a plan for tomorrow. So next Sunday? But, I have to go to the church…on the evening then? Sunday evening…maybe not, because you’re likely to rest the evening before school day. Or you know-“

“Joshua” looking at his best friend blabbering Seungkwan laughs a little which pulling Joshua’s heartstrings.

“Yes?” Joshua finally realizes that he just make fun of himself in front of object of affection, but don’t tell Seungkwan about that.

“Tomorrow is fine. Yes, I’m planning on go to the bookstore next town, but you know we can go together…and after that maybe we can go to a new café I’ve been dying to go.”

“Great! Sounds excellent. Okay…Uhm, I’ll pick you up at 8?”

“At 9, and we’ll meet up at the train station.” Seungkwan gives small smile and it melts Joshua a little.

“Sure. At 9. Train station.” Joshua can’t help to hide his eager smile thinking about spending time with Seungkwan tomorrow.

“Okay, see you tomorrow, Josh.” Seungkwan waves and goes to his apartment building leaving Joshua who still dazed out with his lovesick smile which oblivious to Seungkwan but Joshua feels grateful for that. People can see flower petals surrounding him on his way back home but he didn’t mind it at all.

__________________

_AN: Yes, I lowkey love Jikwan or (Joshkwan?). Please, don’t judge me…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midnight thought:  
> I high key want a collaboration song between Vernon and my baby Seungkwan. It doesn’t have to be a new song, a cover song already make me feel grateful… (Lucky by Jason Mraz maybe?)


	3. Where we meet again

“Hey! Do you guys know where did I put the TOEFL preparation book?” Mingyu suddenly storms into the staff room or more like a base camp for them.

“The blue one or the red covered one?” Seokmin looks up from his notes and puts down his pen.

“Err… I think it’s brown.” Mingyu starts to search the said book in the bookshelf which Wonwoo leans in as he sits in the floor.

“We have a brown TOEFL book?” Seokmin shoots Mingyu a look that said I-think-you-drunk-man.

“No, we don’t. He mistook it with the Grammar Advanced book.” Wonwoo rolls his eyes but still not bother to look up from his phone.

“Yes, we have! And it’s not a grammar book. I remember using it yesterday. Hyung, please move!” Mingyu shoves Wonwoo from where he sits.

“No, we don’t, you stupid giant! And it’s a grammar book. I gave it to you yesterday and don’t argue with me about a fucking book. I’m practically the librarian in the team.” Wonwoo pushes back his glasses and gives Mingyu a side glare.

“Oh, stop being emo, Wonwoo hyung. Yes, you are the one who take care of our books but it doesn’t mean you can’t be wrong.” Mingyu rools his eyes and looks down at where Wonwoo sits.

“I’m being emo doesn’t have to do with the fact that we don’t fucking have a fucking brown TOEFL book. Fuck!” Wonwoo stands up suddenly and face to face with Mingyu who is slightly taller than him but still flinches a bit because felling intimidated.

“Whoa…easy there, guys.” Seokmin goes to stand in the middle of them avoiding another unnecessary drama.

“But…I used the book to teach TOEFL.” Mingyu mumbles looking down like a kicked puppy.

“Well, you do know that you can use a grammar book to learn the structure in TOEFL, right Mingyu?” Seokmin says and Wonwoo still keeps his glare to the giant puppy.

“Yes, but-” He is cut by a sudden open door and a friendly greeting from the youngest member of the team.

“Hey, guys. Good morning? _Gutten morgen_ , Wonwoo hyung! Hyung, can I see the list of new books? I ordered a novel and it’s supposed to arrive this week. Seokmin-hyung, can you check the quiz I made yesterday? It’s for an intermediate structure class. Mingyu hyung, here’s your book. You left it in the TOEFL class yesterday.” Vernon puts a brown book in his table along with his bag. He looks for the quiz in a pile of map besides his messy table.

“It’s my book?” Mingyu runs into Vernon’s table taking the book abruptly, the title of the book clearly states ‘English Structure for Advanced Learners’

“Yeah, isn’t? I mean there are notes slipped inside of the book with your handwriting so…Did I do something wrong?” Vernon starts to feel the unusual tension in the room.

“No, Vernon. You’re not. I can’t tell about someone else though. Here’s the list.” Wonwoo walks past Mingyu putting the list and walks up to the door.

“Wonwoo hyung, wait…I-” Mingyu tries to reach out for Wonwoo’s hand but the other slaps his hand and opening the door. “I have a class, don’t you dare disturbing my class.” with that, he closes the door with a loud bang leaving devastated Mingyu holding the book closed to his chest.

Vernon walks to Seokmin’s table handing out a piece of paper containing a set of questions. “What’s wrong with this morning drama? The first episode is intense.” Seokmin laughs silently actually feels bad for Mingyu who still standing in front of the door.

“There was just a misunderstanding. They’ll be fine.” Seokmin reads the quiz as he writes some notes in the same paper. Vernon sits beside Seokmin while looking for the title of his ordered novel on the list. He is groaning when he doesn’t saw the novel even he already reread the list three times.

“You okay?” Seokmin looks up from the paper.

“No, it’s just my novel hasn’t shipped yet.” Vernon puts the list on Wonwoo’s table.

“Did you pre order it?”

“Yeah and it should be arrived this week.”

“Why don’t you just take it from the bookstore?” Seokmin continues writing some necessary notes.

“It’s only sold in a bookstore next town. Maybe I should check it myself.”

“Or you can call them.”

“Nah, I rather check it myself, you know, just to make sure. Besides, going to a place surrounded by tons of books will never hurt.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Seokmin chuckles. “Mind if I join? I’ve never been going to a bookstore next town. I practically already know every inch of bookstores in this town.”

“No, that’d be nice. I don’t really enjoy wandering around on the other town alone anyway. By the way, how’s the quiz?” Vernon seats closer to Seokmin who already finished checking the said quiz.

“Oh well, overall, the first part is good but you need to change the option number, 4, 17, and 23, while for the second part…” Seokmin shows him the notes he’s been taking few minutes ago.

 

Wonwoo gets out of the class only to be greeted by Mingyu and his sad brown eyes. He looks down on the floor though too scared to look at Wonwoo in the eyes. He only stands and does nothing which irritated Wonwoo even more.

“Talk or get the hell out of my way.” Wonwoo said with a stern voice.

“I’m sorry.” Mingyu whispers barely audible.

“What?” Wonwoo leans in to hear him clearer.

“I’m sorry okay! I was wrong! I was stupid!” Mingyu yells and finally looks up with teary eyes. “I’m so sorry.” But his voice turn into whispers again.

Wonwoo covers his ears due to the sudden scream from Mingyu, looked surprised but try to gain his composure as soon as possible. He actually can’t stand if the taller boy looks sad even for a second. He is still mad but not too mad because of those eyes and that little pout.

“Buy me six different ice cream flavor and you’re forgiven.” Wonwoo pats Mingyu’s head walking past him immediately. He can hear the taller boy squeals and Wonwoo can’t help but smile.

_____________

_AN: Side Meanie, ya’ll!!! I know that this story will be the slow burn type. So, please bear with me, beautiful readers *winkwink*_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midnight thought:  
> Other than Vernon, I ship Seungkwan with Joshua, Jihoon, Minghao and Wonwoo. But strangely I only ship Vernon with Seungkwan. Who’s with me?


	4. The messed up morning

Seungkwan wakes up in the morning feels like shit. He doesn’t know why but the sudden pang of emotion just hit him in the gut and now it makes him want to cry his heart out. He looks at the clock in his nightstand, 07.45. He doesn’t want to do anything today. Hell he even wants to bail his 30 minutes exercise because of his sudden mood down. He starts to curl up in his blanket again when his phone goes off and a message pop out in its screen showing a message from Joshua. _Shit. I forgot._

As his desire not to leave his bed, he can’t cancel the plan with his best friend just because he doesn’t feel like it. He made a promise and he never wants to break it. Because _karma’s bitch_. Seungkwan reluctantly wakes up from what he called as ‘morning paradise’ and goes to the bathroom for a quick freshen up because he knows he won’t going anywhere if he keeps his morning breath and bed hair any longer. While looking for a box of milk in the refrigerator, someone knocks his apartment. That someone is the landlord who asking him to pay the monthly bill this week.

Weird.

He never needs the landlord to remind him because he always pays the bill a week before the due date. He goes to check the timetable which contains of things Seungkwan needs to do for the month, he must makes a mistake checking the date yesterday. But even before Seungkwan does anything wrong today, karma decides to be a bitch before hand and makes Seungkwan hits his toe against the coffee table and to put the cherry on top, he spills the cereal he’s been holding along with the milk which right now is all over the place in the kitchen floor.

“Awww! Fuc-” He immediately shuts his mouth not wanting to say any foul language in case he’ll get another karma because of it. Seungkwan signs cleaning the spilling milk and cereal while muttering ‘my precious breakfast’. The smells of the milk is disgusting so he decides to mop the floor and makes a toast instead for his breakfast along with a cup of tea. After finishing his breakfast, he looks up to clock while washing the dishes. 08.10. He groans because he is running out of time. He needs at least 30 minutes to get ready and 10 minutes to go to the train station and Seungkwan is not the type of person to show up at exactly at the appointment time. Seungkwan quickly rinse the dishes, grabbing a clean towel from the drawer and takes a quick shower.

Maybe there’s something wrong with his luck this morning or god just hates him specifically today.

He runs out of shirt. This is completely a rare condition happening in Seungkwan’s life. Well, he has a few white shirts left but it turns out to be a freaking tuxedo. He can’t wear a tuxedo to go to a bookstore, can he?

Ah, today is laundry day.

He should know it! Then he will not make another agenda for the day. He really needs to recheck the time table once again.

Seungkwan looks for another presentable clothes and he only has several sweaters left in the closet. He is in a dilemma. He loves his sweaters, he adores them, but wearing a sweater only makes him looking soft, adorable, and younger than his actual age. And for the record, he hates it so much. He spends his college day to get used to wearing shirt and dress pants, doing exercise like crazy, eating healthy food so he can look more muscular and taller but most importantly, looking like an adult in which he failed somehow. He ends up stuck on 174 cm and because it seems like that his body hates him, he can’t grow any muscle after months of exercises. Well, at least he was able to lose some baby fats in his checks which he actually fells grateful. But he doesn’t want to look like a cute boy, those days are over because he believes that he already hit the puberty in his sophomore year.

Now, go back to the wardrobe.

He is still in a dilemma.

He only has sweaters and t-shirts. After pondering for about five minutes (he doesn’t have a lot of time left) he finally chooses the sweater. Seungkwan really wants to slap the high-school-Seungkwan for only bought pastel colored sweaters. The adult-Seungkwan only wears what he considers as a ‘clean color’, plain white, plain dark blue, plain brown, plain everything – not a baby blue sweater with yellow little paws printed on the bottom of the sweater.

He checks the time once again and only greeted by the fact that it’s 15 minutes before 9 o’clock. Seungkwan quickly puts on the baby blue sweater and grab the nearest jeans which happen to be short blue jeans because a sweater with dress pants is back lashing his fashion rules. He doesn’t have enough time to style his hair so he puts on a baseball cap, he decides to deal with his hair in the train station restroom later. He does a final checking in the mirror. Great! He now is looking like a high school teenage boy who plans on watching a baseball match.

Fuck. He looks adorable.

He arrives at the train station gate at exact 9 o’clock. He manages his hair in the taxi. He used taxi because as clumsy as he is, he left his bus card on the dining table along with his key cars and he finds out in front of his apartment building. It’ll take another five  minutes to go up to his room which 6 floors high and includes him running to the bus. The last thing he wants to do is sweating when he just wants to start his day not that he doesn’t smell nice, just the sticky sweater on his skin makes him feel disgusting.

Joshua shows up 10 minutes after 9, not that he minds. His best friend stops in front of him and staring in awe. Seungkwan gives him a questioning look and snaps his finger in front of Joshua because the staring takes too long for his liking.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just…you look different. Not a bad different! But, yeah…you know, it’s unlike your usual choice of clothes.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. I know I look funny.” Seungkwan walks up to the ticket machine pushing some buttons looking for their tickets.

“No. You look cute.” Joshua smiles dreamily. Seungkwan only groans and rolls his eyes in return. “You know how much I hate to be called cute, right?” Seungkwan glares at him.

“Ah, right…sorry.” Joshua starches his nape nervously. Seungkwan gives him the ticket after few minutes.

“You’re paying? Why? You should let me.”

“Faster this way. Just take your ticket. You can pay for my coffee later.” They walk to the nearest chair waiting for the train which arrives 10 minutes later. Seungkwan checks his phone for messages and suddenly remembers that he just forget to do his usual 30 minutes morning exercise today. He groans suddenly feels dizzy because of his messed up schedule.

He already feels bad when he woke up this morning.

He doesn’t know if he’ll meet another mess for the rest of the day or maybe even worse than he can imagine.

___________________

_AN: The storm will appear in the next episode…I think…well,_

_I’m trying my best to write more description in this chapter because I feel like it. I felt like shit in the morning I wrote this chapter so that’s why I make Seungkwan felt the same way._

_So, tell me, do you like a description type like on this chapter or the dialogue type on the previous chapter?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midnight thought:  
> I want to watch a new Verkwan V-Live again!!!! (because the ice cream date was so cute!)


	5. Shows me something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Hansol?  
> \- Boo?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Midnight thought:  
> Can we have Seungcheol and Wonwoo in King of Mask Singer???? (or the rest of the vocal team for all that matter)

Vernon is late. He is sure that he is too late.

He and Seokmin promise to meet in his apartment parking lot an hour ago. But Vernon just manages to wake up 45 minutes after the promised time. He has a quick shower and grabs the nearest clothes in the wardrobe. He wears a black t-shirt with a dark blue flannel and black ripped jeans which he only uses outside the class because Seokmin prohibits all of the tutor to wear ripped jeans while teaching. Vernon sends a quick text to Seokmin that he will arrive in the parking lot in a minute while he quickly styled his hair so it can be more presentable.

 

It turns out that Seokmin already know that Vernon will be late as usual, courtesy of he already knows Vernon since high school. He knows that Vernon will always be late at least an hour. But something that Seokmin still doesn’t understand is that his best friend will never be late if it’s about job. Hell, he will arrive half an hour earlier from the appointment time.

Well, actually Seokmin arrived half an hour late and spend another 30 minutes in a café near Vernon’s apartment which owns by his roommate, Soonyoung. He finished his free French toast ( _Hey, we practically brothers, I’m not going to take my brother’s money for a burnt bread – Soonyoung_ ) when he read the text from Vernon.

“Soon, I gotta go. Thanks for the free breakfast.” Seokmin yells outside the kitchen door and get replied with another yell from the café’s owner.

 

“Late again?” Minghao glances at Vernon who eats a slice of bread quickly and gulps a glass of water in one shot.

“You really should set an alarm in your phone.” He closes the morning newspaper and sips his black coffee. “I have.” Vernon searches for a pair of socks in the drawer. “That are my socks, you dumbass!” Minghao throws the newspaper and directly hits Vernon’s head. “Oww! Where’s mine?” Vernon rubs his sore head and looking at Minghao with pleaded eyes.

“I don’t know. Maybe you haven’t washed it, because we both know how lazy you are.”

“Oh…yeah, you’re right. I don’t have any clean socks…” Vernon looks blankly at the drawer.

“Whatever. Take one pair of my socks…but don’t take the blue one!” He gets in the bathroom to take brush his teeth.

“Thanks Minghao! You know I can’t do anything without you!” Vernon quickly takes a pair of black socks and puts on his white shoes. There is a mutter ‘Yeah, I know I know.’ from the bathroom.

 

Seokmin scrolling aimlessly through his Instagram when Vernon knocks at his window car.

“Punctual as usual, Vern.” Seokmin opens the lock of the door and Vernon quickly gets in the car. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hmm, I know you are.” He starts the engine and drives out of the parking lot going to the bookstore. The rest of the drive fills with Vernon talking about the recent research article he read online and discussing about certain teaching theories with Seokmin. It takes about almost an hour drive to the bookstore but there was no traffic jam which is good. They directly go to the information desk asking about Vernon’s novel which actually already shipped two days late so the book will be arrived tomorrow. After that, they go up to the 3rd floor of the store, the Language Section, to see the newest collection of book. Seokmin goes to the Korean language shelf while Vernon goes to the English language shelf.

 

“Weird. I’m pretty sure the catalogue says that the book is in this shelf.” A voice on Seokmin’s left sounds familiar to him. He glance a little to see the owner of the voice and try to remember the boy’s face. He seems familiar but not too familiar. Seokmin believes that he met the boy before but he can’t really recall the boy’s name. On the other hand, the boy who Seokmin’s dying to remember the name is still searches a book on the top part of the shelf by tip toeing on his brown sneakers. The boy gives up looking because the book is too far from his reach so he calls out another man that seems to be the boy’s friend.

“Joshua! Jisoo hyung, please come here.” The man whose named Joshua or Jisoo walks to the boy and asks, “What is it, Seungkwan?” and it clicks something on Seokmin’s mind.

“Boo Seungkwan?” the other boy turns around and widen his eyes looking at Seokmin with the same surprised face.

“Seokmin hyung! Oh my God! How are you doing? Oh my God! It’s been a while, isn’t?” Seungkwan can’t hide his excitement in his voice while Joshua can’t hide his annoyance because Seungkwan seems very happy meeting the stranger named Seokmin.

“Yeah, it’s been a while.” Seokmin laughs at Seungkwan reaction. “Oh my…You changed a lot, Seungkwan. We were just five years apart and you become a lot more handsome than the last time we met. My younger brother now becomes a man!” He pats Seungkwan’s shoulder while the younger’s smile is not decreasing a bit.

“Well, I can say that finally puberty hits me.” He smiles shyly with his own statement.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure puberty hits you very-very hard.” Seokmin gives him his bright smile, brighter than the sun even the sun jealous of him. Seungkwan hits Seokmin lightly and mutter, “Hey, I wasn’t that bad.”

“Who is this, Seungkwan? Mind to introduce me?” Joshua interrupts the sudden reunion between them but still try to remain his calm.

“Oh, Jisoo hyung! He was my senior in high school. The ex-student body president, ex-choir leader and Pledis high’s sweet heart, Lee Seokmin.” Seokmin only laughs at his junior exaggerate introduction, “Stop it.” But only get replied by Seungkwan, “But it’s true!” and Seokmin scoffs but still smiles fondly at Seungkwan which Joshua not missed to see.

“Anyway, Seokmin hyung, he is my coworker in the school, we both are teacher. He was also my senior in the college. Joshua or Hong Ji Soo.” Seokmin smiles a little looking at Joshua and they sharing a hand shake. But not too long because Seokmin’s attention gets back to Seungkwan. He just gets an important news here. “Wait, you are what? You are a teacher in a high school? You, Boo Seungkwan, who always got detention every Tuesday because you were always gave a sassy comeback to the English teacher whenever she was in your class, becomes a teacher?”

“Hey, she was annoying as hell, okay! Always criticizing my pronunciation when speaking English. I just defended myself, I did it for everyone in the class anyway.” Seungkwan does his infamous roll eyes and Seokmin laughing loudly that make some people looking at their direction. Joshua feels a little bit left out of the conversation and surprises to see a sassy Seungkwan. It is because Seungkwan always seems sweet and calm around him, this side of Seungkwan is completely new for him.

They talk a little bit more when someone approaches Seokmin while looking down at two tick books on both of his hands. “Hyung, do you think we need the pre-intermediate one or just buy the intermediate only?” Vernon stops besides Seokmin completely oblivious by other two people in front of him.

Seungkwan turns right only to see the person he’s been trying to forget for the last years. A sudden familiar pang of emotion hits his heart, the same emotion he felt this morning when he woke up.

He wondered why does today don’t go well like his usual routine. Today must be the most unorganized day in his life. He wears a colored pastel sweater and short blue jeans, unlike his usual plain colored shirt and dark colored dress pants. He can’t style his hair with gel because he left it this morning so he only combed his hair with his fingers (he left his comb also). He forgets to pay the monthly bill as usual. He spilled his breakfast. He forgot to do his morning exercise. He left his bus card and key cars. He arrived at exact time when usually he will already arrive at least 15 minutes earlier. Everything was out of control, and Seungkwan hates it. But he never knows that those series of unfortunate events not stopped when he steps in the bookstore.

He just sees the highlight of the events right now. In front of him. Not separated by thousands miles anymore. Not separated by different time zone anymore. They were best friend. _Were._

“Hansol?”

Seungkwan can’t believe he will say that name again. After he shed many tears whenever he spilled the name from his lips. After he had enough of feelings, stupid feelings. The person looks at him, a little bit taken aback by the name he hadn’t heard for years and the familiar voice he always misses to listen.

“Boo?”

____________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger!!!! I personally hate cliffhanger when I read a story, but I’m basically a demon disguised as a human, that’s why I love see other people suffering. *evil laugh*
> 
> No. Just Kidding! I love you guys. Especially if you leave a comment *winkwink* No. I still love you guys even though you’re not leaving a comment.
> 
> And did you notice that if Seungkwan calls Joshua by his American name he doesn’t use ‘hyung’ but he also calls him ‘Jisoo hyung’? No? Well, I’ll just put it here then…


	6. I've been trying to forget

_“It’s been a long time since we met! I really miss you, Seungkwan. I’m sure Vernon also feels the same. So, why don’t we go to a café or something and have lunch together. What do you say?”_

_“Sure, hyung. Sounds great.”_

 

Here they are. In a café which Seungkwan planned on to go with Joshua, but with addition of Seokmin and Vernon.

The situation was awkward in the beginning, but Seokmin always tried to catch up with questions and update story of him and Vernon. Joshua only listens the whole conversation trying to hide his annoyance because Seungkwan seems too close to Seokmin for his liking. Vernon only keeps his silent and can’t help to stare at the beauty in front of him who looks too calm and happy.

‘ _He looks okay. He looks happy. He is not heartbroken anymore. Wake up, Vernon! It’s been five  years, he must be already moved on from him. Am I the only one who still has feeling for him? It must be karma. I finally taste my own medicine. Stupid Vernon. He becomes more beautiful…too beautiful. I miss his squishy cheeks that I pinched every time I met him. He dyed his hair blonde. Weird, he told me that he will never dye his hair. We made a promise. But, he doesn’t need to hold onto the promise anymore, does he? I mean…I already broke his heart to pieces. I broke the heart from the person I love. Does he already forgive me? I think no, does he forget about me? He does_.’

Seungkwan may be looks nonchalant on the outside but he is actually dying on the inside. He tries his best to look happy, to look not bothered by the fact that his high school crush sitting in front of him and staring at him. Seungkwan wants to show him that he is okay. He already moved on. The presence of Vernon will not affect him at all. It’ll not bring any old memories he tried to bury since five  years ago. He wants to prove to Vernon that years of exercise, changing his style, dying his hair, getting a stable job, live his life happily are the prove that he is completely okay. The rejection did nothing to him whatsoever.

So far, his attempt to act nonchalant is going well as he wanted. He tries to step up to the next level by asking Vernon,

“What do you want to eat, Vernon?”

‘ _Vernon? Not Hansol? Why did he call me Vernon? I asked him to call me Hansol. Why did he call me Hansol in the bookstore and call me Vernon now?’_ Seokmin nudges Vernon’s side because he is lost in his thought again. Hansol snaps from his mind and says the first thing that he really wants to say when he sees Seungkwan so close to him.

“You become more beautiful. I miss you, Boo.”

Everyone in the table look at Vernon in surprised while Vernon is completely oblivious by the situation still staring at his love. Joshua can’t believe his ear especially the ‘I miss you’ part. He’s sure that Seungkwan’s old crush was Seokmin because he once told Joshua one day but Seungkwan never talked about a guy named Vernon before. He is not stupid, he sure as hell that the guy and his crush had something before. While in his right, Seungkwan is completely taken aback by the sudden confession from Vernon. He only smiles awkwardly and looks at Seokmin to do something. Seokmin looks at Vernon in horror and glances at Seungkwan catching the signal.

“Well, of course our Seungkwannie is more beautiful now. We all know that. Not that you are ugly back in high school, Kwan. But I’m sure that’s not in the menu, dude. So what do you want to eat? Come on, Vern, I’m hungry.” Seokmin shoves the menu to Vernon who surprised and read the menu.

“Uhmm… I think I need to go to the restroom. Excuse me.” Seungkwan immediately stands up and goes quickly not waiting for an answer.

“What the hell was that, Vern?” Seokmin whispers to Vernon who still staring at Seungkwan’s direction.

“I don’t know, okay? I just messed up.” Vernon mutters silently so only Seokmin can hear that. There is a silent for 10 minutes and Joshua grows inpatient.

“Excuse me, Seokmin-shii. Is there something wrong with Seungkwan?” Joshua feels left out of the problem that is in front of him right now.

“No. Everything is okay.” Seokmin gives him his brightest smile hoping Joshua just forget everything the hell happening right now and drop the topic.

“Really? But what do you mean by ‘I miss you’ before, Vernon-shii?” Joshua turns his question to Vernon because he knows that he’ll never get the real answer from Seokmin.

“Not your business.” Vernon glares at Joshua and gets back reading the menu.

“Excuse me-”

Seokmin cut the unwanted conversation by saying, “Well, Jisoo-shii…as you can see, me and Vernon were Seungkwan’s friend back in high school. We all miss them. I said that too to Seungkwan, right? So I think it’s completely okay for Vernon to say it too. I mean they were close friend before, right Vernon?” the other boy only nods. Joshua seems displeased with the lame excuse but decides to drop the topic. He will ask Seungkwan instead.

Seungkwan comes back from the restroom a while later. The rest of the lunch is not too eventful as Seungkwan and Seokmin only have a small talk while Joshua and Vernon keep their silent.

“Well, see you next time, hyung. We need to catch up the train now.”

“You guys came here with train? Why don’t we go back together? I drive.” Seokmin shows them his key car.

“No, thanks, Seokmin-shii. We…need to buy something on the way home.” Joshua says politely.

“Oh, I don’t mind to drive you there.” Seokmin titles his head knowing what Joshua’s intention is.

“It’ll take time. You don’t have to, hyung. We’ll be okay.” Seungkwan assures Seokmin wanting to go from there as soon as possible because he can’t stand the staring from someone who didn’t say anything besides his sudden confession before.

“Okay, then. Ah but, give me you number, Kwannie. Don’t want to lost contact again, do we?” Seokmin gives him his phone and Seungkwan quickly input his number. “Here, hyung. Well, maybe we’ll meet again in the town. Thank you for the lunch.” Seungkwan bows and practically drags Joshua from there.

 

 

“I’ll give you his number when you already make up your mind.” Seokmin says when he stops at red light. They are already in the car drive back home.

“Yes, hyung. Thanks.” Vernon looks at outside the car.

 

 

“Do you want to tell me something, Seungkwan?” Joshua asks to Seungkwan who’s unusually quiet since lunch.

“No, hyung. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Are you okay, Kwan-ah?’ Joshua looks genuinely concern.

“I’m okay.” Seungkwan gives him small smile to assure Joshua. He knows that the smile is not sincere. But he thinks that it’s enough…at least for now.

_____________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> duududududuuu~ I’m so sorry…I love you guys :))


	7. But I can't

Seungkwan takes off his shoes and drops himself in the couch. He inhales deeply trying his best to restrain the tears that forced to spill from his eyes. He closes his eyes and swallows the lump in his throat, instead thinking about his next lesson, the new scent of detergent he just bought, the sale day that will be held next week, what will he get for Jihoon’s birthday, maybe buying a new wallpaper for his bedroom…basically everything, so he shouldn’t thinking about particular someone he just met an hour ago.

They’ve been apart for five years. There was no news, not even a single photo. Seungkwan even thought that he already dead or maybe live in the other side of the world living his life which Seungkwan doesn’t care anymore, or more likely tried not to care.

Seungkwan thinks that he did it. Forget him…completely.

Who the hell was he trying to lie to?

He fails, miserably. He’s been trying so hard to keep his mind occupied with something else. He built the wall for five years. Five fucking years. He managed to pile every bricks one by one. When he thought that the wall is strong enough, the storm came mocking him

He came like a storm. Breaking his wall in pieces like what he did years ago to his heart and his hope, in front of the school gate, after graduation.

That will happen if you set your hope too high. Seungkwan laughs in bitter. He sets his hope too high…again. The same guy throw down his hope again…scattered it…and after that, the guy said nothing to him. It seemed like déjà vu. The same guy, the same emotion, the same tears.

Sungkwan finds himself sobbing. They’re not only few droplets of tears…but he is sobbing hard. The wall is broken, the dam is spilled out. And he can’t stop it. It’s been a long time since he cried sad tears. He believes that there’ll be no more salty tears for that guy. But he is wrong…so dead wrong.

“It’s not fair.”

Seungkwan mutters between his sobbing. Not fair! He tried so hard to forget, to stop feeling miserable, to move on. Keep convincing himself that he is okay, he will be okay, he should be okay. And when Seungkwan feels content with his life now standing on his own two feet, he came destroying it with a single blow,

_I miss you, Boo._

Vernon missed him? bullshit.

There’s no way he missed him.

He couldn’t be missing him. He shouldn’t miss him.

Vernon doesn’t have any right to say that in front of him.

Not after all what he did.

 

 

Seungkwan wakes up in the couch. The sun burns the skin in his hand. He sits and finds out the he just fell asleep not with his pajamas. He was too tired apparently to change his clothes. He feels his head pounding and his eyes swollen due to the sobbing last night. He doesn’t know how long he was crying but he is sure that the bitter emotion sill remains and can spill anytime soon.

Seungkwan goes to the kitchen and looks for a pain killer. He compresses his swollen eyes with an ice bag. Looking at his reflection on the mirror makes him feel nothing, he can’t think of anything besides someone’s face, his gummy smile, and his voice saying the words Seungkwan wants to hear the most.

He changes the sweater into an over sized t-shirt which rarely used since he moved out to this apartment and pairs of sweatpants. He is making a cup of earl grey tea when he hears someone opening his password apartment.

“Seungkwan, where are you? Answer me bitch. I need to know if you’re still alive or not.” Jihoon yells from the front door followed by someone’s voice talking to Jihoon.

“Jihoon, you check his bedroom. I’ll check his bathroom. Yell if you found his body.” Jeonghan tosses his shoes and quickly heads into Seungkwan’s bedroom.

“I’m here and breathing. Jeonghan hyung, put your shoes properly, please. I can hear you throw them away.” Seungkwan yells from the kitchen. He can hear a long sigh of relieve from Jihoon and grumbles from Jeonghan. They walk to the kitchen seeing Seungkwan making a toast.

“What are you guys doing here? You know I hate a sudden visit, right? At least text me.” Seungkwan sits and sips his tea.

“We could say the same thing to you, young man. Where were you yesterday? A little bird told me that you were being unusually quiet after met someone yesterday. You know we hate if you keeping a secret, right? At least text us.” Jihoon takes a seat while Jeonghan makes a tea for them.

“I went to a bookstore next town with that little bird, and I met Seokmin hyung yesterday. We were going to the same school, remember? And I was being quiet because I was too tired.”

“Seungkwan.” Jihoon’s voice sounds stern not giving a room to argue.

“What? That’s all. Nothing bizarre. Jisoo hyung must be exaggerating.”

“Oh my God, Seungkwan. Do you think we will buy your lie?” Jeonghan rolls his eyes.

“I’m not lying!”

“Yeah, right. You treat us like we just met you a week ago. Don’t fiddle your finger then if you weren’t lying.” Jihoon points at Seungkwan’s hands under the table.

“Shit.” Seungkwan mumbles putting his hands on the table.

“Language, young man. At least not in front of your mother.” Jeonghan glares at Seungkwan.

“Come on, you’re cursing while breathing on daily basis. I’m an adult not a young man and you are not my mother.” Seungkwan stands up walking to the sink to wash his cup.

“Oh my…honey, look at your son talking back to his mother.” Jeonghan tugs Jihoon’s sleve.

“Wait, am I the father here?” Jihoon looks at Jeonghan confused and the other only rolls his eyes. “But seriously Seungkwan, tell us what hap-”

“Nothing. And I’m fine.” Seungkwan puts the clean dish and turns around facing them.

“Okay, you are fine. Then why are you wearing _his_ t-shirt right now? I thought you already throw it long time ago.” Jihoon points out at the over sized t-shirt. Seungkwan looks down at his t-shirt. It’s Vernon’s t-shirt that somehow stills folded neatly with Seungkwan’s other t-shirt.

“I’m…fine.” Seungkwan sigh heavily.

“You know that’s not what we want to hear from you.” Jeonghan inquires.

“If you already know the answer then why are you asking?” Seungkwan snaps at them.

“Seungkwan, we are here for you.” Jihoon says calmly giving him assuring smile.

“I’m sorry. It’s just…I…I met _him_.” Seungkwan hugs himself almost tearing again.

“Oh my God, Seungkwan.” Jeonghan and Jihoon hug Seungkwan tightly. Seungkwan cries again muttering,

“He said he missed me, that asshole missed me. It hurts, hyung…I don’t know what to do.” Jihoon and Jeonghan hug him more tightly and whispering ‘We know it’s not okay but it’ll be okay, we’re here for you. We promise.’

 

 

They sit in the living room and Seungkwan’s sobbing turn to sniffling. Jeonghan is cuddling with Seungkwan while Jihoon pats his head.

“You know, Kwan, if he did something again to you, I can always kick his ass for you.” Jihoon shows his kick. Seungkwan laughs at him and says, “I doubt you can. I mean, he is way taller than you now, he is even taller than me.”

“What about me?”Jeonghan shifts so he can see Seungkwan’s face.

“Hmm…I think you’re still taller than him.” Seungkwan looks up at Jeonghan.

“Well, let me kick his ass then.”Jeonghan smirks and Seungkwan only chuckles.

“Nah, I don’t care. I’ll still kick him even he is like two meters taller than me. Hey, come here. My turn.” Jihoon opens his arm while Seungkwan scoots closer to Jihoon and cuddling with him.

“Mom, I’m hungry.” Seungkwan mumbles and gives Jeonghan his puppy eyes.

“Now, you are calling me mom. What an ungrateful son.” Jeonghan sighs patting Seungkwan’s head. “Tell you what, what about we go to Soon’s café, eating the sweetest cake there and after that we can go to karaoke.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jihoon agrees and Seungkwan nods.

“Well then, get ready. Rid that t-shirt and wears the sweater we bought you instead.”

“But I still want to cuddle.” Jihoon doesn’t let go off Seungkwan.

“I’m hungry, hyung.” Seungkwan pouts making Jihoon groans finally letting him go.

“Whatever you want, Kwannie. We’ll wait here, don’t take too long or you have to cuddle with me till lunch time.” Seungkwan only laughs at Jihoon and quickly goes to his bedroom to change.

____________

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I love soft Jihoon. I saw the predebut photo of Seungkwan and Jihoon where Jihoon had a soft spot for Seungkwan no matter how crazy the kid was. That photo makes me soft. And Jeonghan is the mom! Well, who doesn’t know that?
> 
> By the way, can you guess the problem between Seungkwan and Vernon? I mean, Jihoon and Jeonghan know that well and they even know about Vernon.


	8. Neither Can I

“Is he alright?” Mingyu whispers to Wonwoo looking at Vernon who’s been quiet since morning. The course is not open on Sunday but they have weekly meeting and need to prepare the lesson for the next Monday. Seokmin sighs loudly getting Mingyu and Wonwoo’s attentions.

“Do you know something, Seokmin?” Mingyu yells whispers to Seokmin across the room.

“Leave him alone. He’ll be alright.” Seokmin goes back to his laptop.

Seokmin is not stupid. He knows what actually happened to Vernon. He already heard the story from him a month after they create the course place when they had a drink together. Vernon was too drunk and started to tell everything about him. He told Seokmin about his sister, a flower he picked yesterday morning, a stray dog which messed up his trash bag last week, everything happening on his life…including Seungkwan.

He was sobbing hard when he talked about Seungkwan and Seokmin never saw Vernon cried before, maybe it was the first and the last time he saw that. The next morning, Seokmin asked him again about Seungkwan. Vernon looked so broken in Seokmin’s eyes, devastated but he didn’t cry anymore.

Seokmin never imagined that that happened between him and Seungkwan. They looked fine on the outside. But something that Seokmin believes that both of them deserved to be happy, they deserved the world. Seungkwan is the most hardworking person he ever met and for Vernon, once Seokmin got to know him, actually has a kind heart and has a really good working ethic. They are nice people and Seokmin loves them.

And when Seokmin met Seungkwan yesterday, he was too happy to finally saw Seungkwan after a long time. He never heard any news from his junior for five years. He was sure that they are in the same town after graduated but somehow they never met until yesterday. He was too happy which making him forgot that he went to the bookstore with Vernon until he heard Vernon’s voice approaching them. At first, his first plan was to take Vernon away from Seungkwan. Seokmin knows that Vernon is afraid to meet Seungkwan again while Seungkwan doesn’t want to see Vernon anymore.

But when he heard Seungkwan called Vernon by his first name and Vernon called Seungkwan by his last name. The only privilege they gave to each other. Seokmin knows that he need to do something to both of them, at least gave them the opportunity to see each other a little bit longer. That was why, Seokmin suggested for them to have a lunch together.

Even though it didn’t go too well, at least there is a little change for both of them. Seokmin hopes that it’s for the better.   He is more than willing to bring back his junior together because the problem happened due to misunderstanding. That’s all. Right now, they are suffering because Seungkwan doesn’t want to listen while Vernon is too afraid to tell. But Seokmin is sure that actually Seungkwan does want to listen and Vernon does want to tell him. He just doesn’t know when will be the right time. Even if they need baby steps to reach their destination together, Seokmin will be there to give them all of the opportunity they deserved.

“Vernon, let’s grab some lunch. I’m starving.” Seokmin stands in front of Vernon’s table.

“I’m not hungry, hyung.”

“Well, you don’t have to eat, I want you to accompany me.” Seokmin closes Vernon’s laptop knowing very well that it’ll piss him off. But know, the other boy says nothing because he didn’t do anything on his laptop only staring at it for hours.

“Come on, or maybe I’ll text someone to have lunch with me…what do you think?” Seokmin unlocks his phone and looking through the contact list. It brings Vernon’s attention because he finally moves with a heavy sigh.

“Alright, hyung. I’m coming with you, just…put your phone off.” Seokmin smiles in winning and drags Vernon out of the staff room leaving Mingyu and Wonwoo.

 

“Just so you know, my ears are open so you can practically tell me everything.” They are in a family restaurant few blocks from the course waiting for their lunch to be ready.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Vernon takes off his phone and scrolling his Instragram.

“Okay, then.” Seokmin raises his hands giving up. His junior can be so stubborn sometimes. So Seokmin moves to the second plan.

“By the way, you still remember the school that we want to have collaboration with, right?” Vernon answers it with a hum not tearing his eyes from the phone. Honestly, Seokmin is a little bit irritated by Vernon’s attitude right now.

“Okay, whatever. I’m not going to mopping around the bushes again.” Vernon still not paying attention to him. “Seungkwan is the teacher in that school.” Now he gets Vernon’s attention. “And I’m sure that you don’t forget that we, as in you and me, will go to the school, meet and have a meeting with their language teachers about our project.”Vernon still in silent listening every word Seokmin just told him.

“Seungkwan is a Korean language teacher.” Seokmin is cut by the waiter with their food. “Oh, the food’s here. Thank you.” When Seokmin started to dig in his fried noodle, Vernon quickly takes the plate from him with panic in his eyes. “Wait…my food!” Seokmin tries to reach on but Vernon is faster.

“Hyung, what do you mean by that? You know I can’t meet him. Not after what happened yesterday. Heck! Not after what happened on everything between us! Can we like-”

“What? Canceled the project? Hell no! First of all, we’ve been creating the plan for almost a year, since the beginning of the community. Canceling it will only lose their trust to us, Vernon. We are a new language course and we must gain trust from a lot of parties if we want to make it big. Second of all, I’ll be there because I’m the leader and you! You will also be there because you are the leader of the project and the one who responsible for the project. Do you understand me, Mr. Chwe?”

“I…yeah. But,-”

“No but! We will talk about it later after I finished my lunch. Now, give me back my noodles.” Vernon hands over the plate and eats his own food slowly.

Seokmin finishes his lunch twenty minutes later while Vernon is not even finishing half of the food. Seokmin waits a little bit longer not wanting him chokes or throws up his food while talking.

“Do you believe in second change, Vernon?” His junior looks up from his finished food and smiles bitterly.

“Yeah, but not going to happen for me. That’s what I believe.” Vernon looks down at his hands.

“Can you forgive yourself? I mean, you also deserve to be happy, you know?” Seokmin’s voice is full of concern.

“He doesn’t forgive me. How can I forgive myself?”

“How do you know?”

“Huh?” Vernon looks up at Seokmin in confused.

“How do you know that he doesn’t forgive you? Have you asked him?”

Vernon lost of words, he sees the trees across the window restaurant, “I’ve…I haven’t. I can’t”

“No, you can. You just didn’t try.” Vernon closes his eyes trying not to spill some tears that threaten to be out of his eyes.

“Talk to him everything you wanted to say. Ask him everything you’ve been dying to ask. You have to make things clear. Then in the end, it’ll be the right time to make a decision whether you should fight it again or let him go and move on.”

“I don’t know, hyung.” Vernon rubs his face in frustration.

“I’ll help you, Vernon.” Seokmin holds Vernon’s shoulder transferring his concern to the younger boy.

“Okay, I’ll…I’ll try.” Vernon sighs.

“Good.”

 

“Ah, I told you I’ll give you his number when you already make up your mind right?” Seokmin opens the staff the door followed by Vernon

“Yes, hyung.” Vernon takes off his phone and gives it to Seokmin but he rejected it.

“Nope. You should ask him yourself. You know, more reason to talk to him.” Seokmin winks before runs out of the staff room leaving Vernon with dejected look.

________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need a Seokmin in my life :’)


	9. Is it a new start for us?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vernon and Seungkwan meet again..  
> (I'm suck at making summary..sorry..)

“Good morning, my baby sunshine~” Jun smiles flirty and gives a wink to Seungkwan who just arrived to the teachers’ room.

“Ew, go away!”  Seungkwan shoos Jun and quickly goes to his table in the corner of the room.

“Why does my sunshine so mean to Jun?” Jun gives him his puppy eyes making Seungkwan cringes.

“Stop talking as a third person, please. It’s disgusting.” Seungkwan puts down his bag and takes out his laptop.

“Jun wants his morning greeting from his ball of sunshine!” He pouts and stomps his feet. _(AN: I internally cringe when writing this. But don’t get me wrong, I love Jun to the Mun and back, pun intended.)_

“Did you just call me a ball- whatever…Good morning, Mr. Wen.” Seungkwan says quietly feeling dizzy by all of _agyeo_ so early in the morning.

“Is there something wrong, baby? Jun will be sad too if Seungkwan is sad.” Jun kneels besides Seungkwan and his head resting on the table.

“I’m fine, thanks. So please go.” Seungkwan gives him forced smile but that’s somehow enough for Jun. Bless his pure heart.

“Morning, bitch.” Jeonghan gives Seungkwan a paper of morning teachers’ attendance list.

“Oh my God, Mr. Yoon. We are in the school. Mind your language!” Seungkwan whispers loudly taking the attendance list.

“Oops, my bad. I mean…Good morning, Mr. Boo. How are you today?” Jeonghan smirks and taking the nearest chair to sit besides Seungkwan’s table.

“I’m fine, at least to teach later. The rest not so much.” He signs the paper and gives it back to Jeonghan. “Today is your schedule?”

“Yeah, I swap with Jihoon. Because I’ll have a date with a hot daddy tomorrow.” Jeonghan winks at the word ‘daddy’.

“I’m sorry?” Seungkwan opens his bottle drinking lemon water.

“What? Do you want me to set you up with a hot daddy too?” Seungkwan chokes at his drink and coughs loudly.

“Oh my….Jeonghan hyung! How can you know- have a date with a _daddy_?” He whispers at the last word.

“I have my way. So do you want or not?”

“NO! Yoon Jeonghan, you are a teacher for God sake. Dating with a- you know what? Nevermind. I didn’t hear anything.” Seungkwan takes out his headphone trying to block all of the nonsense this morning.

“Morning, Kwan. What’s wrong? Jeonghan hyung messed up with your brain again?” Jihoon gives him a piece of paper. “Here’s the new score by the way. Don’t you dare change your mind again. I can’t direct a group of choir by myself.”

“They are barely fifteen people, Jihoonnie.” Seungkwan takes the paper and reads the score.

“Yeah, barely fifteen people and all of them are pain in the ass.” Jihoon rolls his eyes thinking about the choir students.

“What do you mean, Jihoon? I’ll be the one who will feel pain in my ass tomorrow.” Jeonghan winks at Jihoon who is genuinely confused.

“What do you me-.” “Oh my God, Jeonghan hyung! Shut up! My innocent ears.” Seungkwan covers his ears from any possible sins dripping from Jeonghan’s lips.

“Morning, guys. Good morning, Seungkwan.” Jisoo walks up to them and sits on his desk besides Seungkwan’s.

“Good morning, Joshua.” Seungkwan smiling, finally someone normal, at least he could give a balance from all of the absurdity Seungkwan faced this morning.

“Oh, before I go to my class. I get the information about the language project from Mr. Han.” Joshua takes out his notes. “So the community is called Diamond Language Community. The representatives of the community are two people. They will be here at 10 o’clock, you don’t have any class right? All of the language teacher will be in the language lab. I already informed Jun.” Seungkwan nods and writes some important point to a piece of post-it notes.

“What are their name?” Seungkwan stops his writing.

“Ah, I forgot to ask their name. But the headmaster called them Mr. Lee and…Mr. Chwe.” Jisoo closes his notes completely oblivious by the surprised face of the trio besides him.

“Josh, Mr. Lee and Mr. who?” Jeonghan inquires.

“I’m sure it was ‘Chwe’. The name is pretty unique, don’t you think so?” Jisoo smiles innocently still not catching the sudden change of atmosphere around him.

“Seungkwan, are yo-” Jihoon is cut by Seungkwan who suddenly stands up with unreadable face.

“Thank you, Josh. Well, the class will start in 10 minutes so I better go there now. It’s in the third floor.” Seungkwan packs his books and laptop and walks out of the teacher’s room.

“Jihoon, what should we do now?” Jeonghan whispers at Jihoon.

“I don’t know. But I’ll give a task to my class at 10 later so I can look after Seungkwan. You can’t leave your class, hyung.” Jeonghan only nods at the plan.

 

 

“Good morning, class. Everyone’s here? No one’s sick?” Seungwan sets up his laptop immediately he arrived at the class.

“Good morning, Mr. Boo. The attendance is perfect.” Chan, the chair of the class, answers.

“Thank you, Chan. So for today’s lesson, close your book and put it on your bag. No, don’t worry, I’m not giving you a surprise quiz.” The students cheer happily except one student. “Because today we will be watching a movie. But I want you to make a simple essay about your opinion related to the movie. One page of essay will do. Questions?” the students are silent taking out their notes to write some important point later. A student raises his hand.

“Yes, Chan?”

“No…it’s just, are you okay, Mr. Boo. You looked pale.” Chan asking quietly where only Seungkwan can hear that because the boy practically sits in front of the teacher’s table. Seungkwan is a little bit taken aback by the question.

“Why do people keep asking me if I’m okay?” Seungkwan mutters barely audible.

“Pardon, Mr. Boo?”

“Yes, Chan. I’m perfectly fine. Thanks for asking.” Seungkwan gives him a small smile but sighs afterward making the student is not convinced at all.

 

 

Seokmin and Vernon arrive at the Pledis High 30 minutes before the meeting with the language teachers. They already met the headmaster and now waiting in the language lab. Vernon can’t stop tapping his foot and scrambling his notes since he sits. He is sweating bucket. No, not because of the meeting. He is 100% percent ready with his presentation and he is more than sure on everything he’ll tell related to the project. His mind is ready but not his heart.

“You ready?” Seokmin can feel Vernon’s nervousness making him feels anxious too.

“I don’t know, hyung. What if I messed up because of my problem? What if I forgot everything when I saw his face? What if-” Vernon starts to rambling.

“Vernon, look at me. You’ll be fine. If you forgot the material, you can read the notes or I’ll help you.” Vernon nods feeling a little bit ease, a little bit. He is still imagining all of the possible worst cases that might happen later.

Vernon decides to go out of the lab to get some fresh air. He sighs trying calming his heartbeat. “You can do it, Hansol!” He slaps himself quiet hard.

“Ouch! That must be hurt. Are you okay there, dude?” A tall handsome guy stands beside him looking in pain rubbing his own cheek.

“Yeah, I’m okay…just nervous.”

“Oh, if you’re nervous, try eating a candy. It’ll relax your muscle. Am I right, Seungkwannie?” the guy looks at a person behind him. Vernon freezes at the sight in front of him.

Seungkwan looks really different, way different from Seungkwan he knows in high school and when he met him two days ago. He styled his hair neatly showing the right part of his forehead. He dyed his hair dark brown. He wears a light make up to make him looking fresh. He wears a plain black shirt with brown dress pants and formal shoes. If Vernon falls on Seungkwan’s cute fashion before, he is falling again on Seungkwan’s formal style. He is falling in love for the second time if it’s even possible.

“Yes, Jun.”

 

 

###

_“Are you ready, Hansollie?” Seungkwan was sitting besides Hansol who’s reading his text for the tenth time today._

_“I don’t know, Boo. What if I messed up? What if I faint in front of the class and they’ll laugh at me. They’ll tell every student in this school and my life will never be the same again. I might be should move from this school due to the embarrassment. You’ll feel embarrassed talking to me. You’ll leave me and…and I’ll die alone in my room after crying for days.” Vernon crumbled his text unconsciously. Seungkwan hold his hands stopping Hansol’s movement._

_“You will not mess up anything. You will not faint and no one is going to laugh at an unconscious person. I will not leave you alone even if you are embarrassing yourself. You’ll be fine, Hansol. I promise.” Seungkwan gave him his brightest smile._

_“You promise?”_

_“Yes, I am! Here, eat this. A candy can help you relaxing your muscle.” Hansol took the candy and eat it feeling a little bit better. It was a chocolate milk candy, Hansol’s favorite._

_“Better?” Seungkwan titled his head cutely and Hansol nodded._

_“Thanks, Boo.”Hansol smiled for the first time that day._

_“Anytime, Hansollie.” Seungkwan chuckled looking at his best friend smiling._

 ###

 

 

“I don’t have a candy.” Vernon says quietly looking at Seungkwan.

“Oh, Seungkwan has some. He has like tons of candies on his bag. He really loves sweet stuff. Seungkwan, give him the candy.” Jun nudges Seungkwan and the latter boy opens his bag handing Vernon a chocolate milk candy.

“Thanks, Boo.” Vernon takes the candy. He smiles looking at his favorite candy. The thought of Seungkwan is still keeping Vernon’s favorite candy on his bag warms his heart a little.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Chwe. But please call me Mr. Boo. We are in the school.” Seungkwan says with a monotone voice. Vernon looks at Seungkwan again who still keeps his emotionless expression.

“I’m sorry…Mr. Boo.” Vernon can’t hide his sad smile which moves something on Seungkwan’s heart. He almost loses his control and hugs the person in front of him but Joshua’s voice wakes him up.

“Seungkwan, you’re here. Hey, Jun, you’re early!” Joshua widens his eyes when he sees Vernon also stands in front of the lab. “You-”

“Well,well, well…Welcome ladies and- oh only gentlemen? Okay then, let’s come in.” Seokmin walks out of the lab door and smiling brightly. More teachers come to the lab. The meeting will be started in 5 minutes.

Vernon eats the candy already feeling more relax than before. He kept the chocolate plastic on his pocket. He is looking at Seungkwan who is talking to Joshua but he knows that sometimes Seungkwan is stealing glances at him.

“Vernon, let’s start.” Seokmin whispers from is chair besides where Vernon standing.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Chwe Vernon, I teach English and my friend here is Lee Seokmin, He teaches Korean. We are from Diamond Language Community. Today, I’d like to show you the details of our proposal about a project which will be held for the next four months in this school.”

Seokmin clicks on the laptop moving the next slide of the presentation.

Vernon can smell the chocolate milk candy. Seungkwan’s eyes are on him but he feels more calm than ever.

________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love bitchy Jeonghan. I can feel secondhand embarrassment when writing Jun’s part.
> 
> So… how do you think of the story so far? Do you realize it’s been only four days in the story and I only have 8 chapters for it?


	10. I hope so

The meeting ended at 12 o’clock. The arrangement is done, most of the ideas are accepted by both parties. The representative from the school is Seungkwan by unanimous votes. He rejected the idea at first, but being the top teacher in Pledis high making the expectation goes to him. Joshua promised Seungkwan to help him whenever he needs. Seungkwan actually doesn’t against the idea of the project. Heck, he even agrees that Vernon’s ideas are brilliant. The school will get the media and teachers to develop language learning for their students while the community will get new students. If the outcome coming out well, the school will make an exclusive contract with them. Win-win solution for both of them.  
  
All of the teacher excluding Seungkwan, Joshua and Jun go out of the Language lab. The rest of them are still arranging the next meeting and other necessities to start the project. The small meeting goes really well. There is no hard feeling from Seungkwan and Vernon which makes Seokmin uneasy. Vernon himself is too absorbed with the changing of ideas and his workaholic mode is on. That’s why he doesn’t hesitate to talk with Seungkwan in the meeting. On the other hand, Seungkwan both feels relieved because he doesn’t have to deal with ‘feelings’ in the school and he also feels sad because he saw Vernon being completely okay and not heartbroken like him. In all honesty, Vernon is confusing to Seungkwan, one time he looked broken but on other time he looked completely fine.  
  
Seungkwan brushes out his mind and packs up his notes. He has class in 10 minutes and the class is on the other side of the school. He walks out of the lab with Joshua and Jun but when he just outside the lab, Vernon calls him.  
  
“Mr. Boo, wait up. You haven’t given your number yet.” Vernon hands his phone. “Ehmm…I mean, we will contact each other more often…for the project of course.”  
  
“Yes, of course, Mr. Chwe.” Seungkwan takes the phone typing his number and finds out that his number is already in the contact list as ‘My Boo’. “You already have it.” Seungkwan gives back the phone.  
  
“Oh, you haven’t changed your number after all this time?” Vernon looked surprised making Seungkwan taken aback by the fact that Vernon still remembers his number which he kept since high school.  
  
“Yes, I don’t find any necessity to change it. Well, will you excuse me, I have a class in 5.” Seungkwan bows slightly and goes to the class followed by Joshua and Jun.  
  
“If I know that, I should’ve called you, Boo.” Vernon mutters silently.  
  
  
“Hey, Seungkwan. How’s the meeting?” Jihoon sits in front of Seungkwan in the school cafeteria. He brings a big portion of burger and a can of cola. Seungkwan grimaces by the sight of the food thinking about the possible calories and fat on that junk food.  
  
“I thought I told you to start eating vegetable, Jihoon hyung.” Seungkwan opens his lunch box containing a portion of fruit salad.  
  
“Excuse me, there are lettuces, two slices of cucumbers and tomatoes. They are vegetables.” He opens his burger showing Seungkwan a thin layer of vegetables which barely there.  
  
“But-”  
  
“I get it, okay. I’ll eat salad for dinner. Are you happy? Just let me enjoy my unhealthy lunch today. Anyway, how’s the meeting. Were there any sea of tears happening?”  
  
“No. The meeting turned out well actually. They were quiet professional and the ideas are great. Over all, the project will be-”  
  
“Wait, I don’t care about the project whatsoever. I’m asking about the Vernon guy.” Jihoon starts eating his food.  
  
“Hey, Seungkwan. How’s Vernon? I accidentally met them in the parking lot and we talked for a while.” Jeonghan comes with a bottle of protein shake and sits besides Jihoon.  
  
“Wait, you met them?” Jihoon moves aside his cola.  
  
“Yeah…and boy, the trouble maker Vernon is a man now. That guy is a catch.” Jeonghan gulps his protein shake and says “He is taller than me by the way.” Seungkwan only rolls his eyes at Jeonghan’s comments.  
  
“How’s he?” Jihoon glances at Jeonghan. “Handsome as ever.” Jeonghan clicks his tongue thinking about Vernon’s face. “You okay, Seungkwan?” Jihoon looks at Seungkwan who puts his spoon and sighs heavily.  
  
“It’s just, he makes me confused, hyungs. Before the meeting he looked sad, during the meeting he looked composed as if nothing bothering him, after the meeting he was nervous asking my number. And…he still keeps my number and remembers them.” Seungkwan looks up furrowing his brows waiting for his hyungs’ responds.  
  
“Well, that tells you something.” Jeonghan shrugs. Seungkwan still staring at them not satisfied with the answer.  
  
“Look, Seungkwan. Actually, if you’re being pretty honest, what are you trying to prove here? What do you want to prove from him?” Jihoon’s voice turns serious indicating that he demands an honest answer.  
  
Seungkwan can’t answer that. He doesn’t have the heart to tell them when actually the words are in the tip of his tongue right now. Seungkwan only shakes his head and rubs his face frustrated.  
  
“Wait, let me guess. Do you want to know if he actually had feeling for you after all this time?”  
  
“Did he regret his decision ages ago?”  
  
“Do you still have feeling for him?”  
  
“Do both of you still have a chance to come back like before?”  
  
“Does he want to start over?”  
  
“What would you do if he asks you about this? Answer me, Seungkwan. Oh my God.” Jeonghan starts to feel frustrated by Seungkwan’s silent.  
  
“Is it okay, hyung? I mean, if I want to…If I want to start over with him?” Seungkwan bits his lower lip. “I’m making fool of myself again, ain’t I? I’ll be broken hearted again. He’ll leave me again. I’ll only break down everything I just made. I don’t know if I can recover once again. The last time was really difficult. You know that, right hyung? I mean you were there when I….was broken down.” Seungkwan’s tears almost spill but he closes his eyes inhaling deeply. He shouldn’t cry in the school.  
  
“You’ll never know the answer unless you looking for them.” Jeonghan says quietly. “But you can take this slowly if you’re still not sure. You know, starting over.”  
  
“It’s all up to you, Seungkwan. In the end, the final decision depends on you. We just can help you from behind.” Jeonghan rubs Seungkwan’s shoulder. Seungkwan smiles a little.  
  
“But I’m sure I’ll be in front of you to chop his dick off if he messed up with you again.” Jihoon squeezes his empty can. Seungkwan laughs seeing his hyung is more worked up than him to take revenge.  
  
“You shouldn’t do that, hyung. That’s a crime. You’ll be jailed and I don’t want to teach the choir by myself.”  
  
“But they are barely fifteen people, Seungkwan.” Jihoon smile sheepishly.  
  
“Fifteen people who are pain in the ass.” Seungkwan laughs heartily.  
  
“Just make sure you’re not limping though, or people will notice.” Jeonghan smirks at his witty comment. They laugh at that forgetting the problem they’ve been talked about before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to smile, beautiful readers :)


	11. Let's meet again

_Unknown number_

‘ _Good morning, Seungkwan. Next meeting will be in the community building. ------ Street No.198. Tomorrow 7 p.m. - Hansol’_

It’s been a week. Seungkwan kept checking his phone for the past week, don’t know who he was he waiting for. Seokmin hyung told him last week that they would contact him again for the next meeting next week. Well, he wasn’t lying. Seungkwan reads the text again and smiles bitterly feeling a little bit uncomfortable. He called him Seungkwan. Vernon called him Seungkwan. Back then, he only called him that when he was angry, upset or sulking. Now, Vernon isn’t angry or upset or even sulking based on this text. He sounds like a stranger though which makes him uncomfortable when he knows that he shouldn’t feel that way. Seungkwan himself who was the first to put up a wall between them when they met in the school last week

Seungkwan tosses his phone to the bed after types a quick reply and goes back to his lesson plan but his mind can’t be occupied to the lesson plan in front of him now. He looks at a brown box wrapped by a purple ribbon and sighs. It feels weird. He doesn’t feel angry anymore nor sad when he thinks of Vernon. And he doesn’t know how to do about that. He doesn’t feel empty either. Seungkwan thinks that it’s good, at least for now. He has a big project coming up and he absolutely doesn’t have time thinking about anything besides the project. He shakes his head and comes back to the file. After few minutes editing audio for his listening class, he takes his phone to call someone.

“Hello, Josh?”

 

 

 

“It’s okay, right hyung?” Vernon clutches his phone.

“What do you mean?” Seokmin stops typing. They are in the staff room in the middle of finishing a syllabus for the project.

“I just texted him.”

“Him?’ Mingyu peers up giving his laptop to proofread the proposal he’s been working on.

“Him, Seungkwan.”

“Ah, Boo Seungkwan the representative of the school? What’s wrong with that?” Wonwoo pushes his glasses on.

“Yes, I just texted Boo Seungkwan.” Vernon looks at his hyung panic his in eyes.

“Okay? And then? I mean I told you to text him about the meeting. Hell. I don’t get it, Vernon.” Seokmin laughs at his junior unclear intention.

“Well, I-” His phone goes off, a text just arrived. He quickly opens the messaging apps and smiling widely giggling like a little girl. He goes out of the staff room humming a song leaving the hyungs who don’t know what’s going on with him.

“Can someone tell me what the hell was that? Just five minutes ago he can’t stop talking about what greeting he should use and now he is smiling like a mad man.” Minghao who keeps silent since morning finally speak up.

“Don’t look at me. I’m clueless just like you guys.” Seokmin raises both his hands when he notices that the rest of the guys looking for an answer from him.

Vernon can’t help but smile. After reading the replied text from Seungkwan, a sudden relieve feeling splash his body. It’s been a long time since he got a text from Seungkwan, reading Seungkwan’s name on his messaging apps makes him feel giddy. Even though the reply only ‘ _Okay, thanks._ ’ it still means a lot to him.

After few minutes smiling, the reality suddenly hits him. He sighs thinking that he was the one who feels this way and the other boy may not feel anything whatsoever. Seungkwan must be receiving tons of texts like that before and he replied them the same way he replied to Vernon. What he was thinking? He feels like a pure idiot right now. He was all alone on this track, Seungkwan is not with him anymore. Is he going to fight it back alone? He really wants to have a real conversation with Seungkwan, but when? With the project is coming up around the corner, he is pretty damn sure that it won’t be a good idea to talk about it sooner. Seungkwan is the representative of the school they’ve been trying to work with. There is no way he’ll ruin their project which already planned since a year ago.

But what if Seungkwan thought that Vernon doesn’t have feeling anymore to him? and deciding it’s time for Seungkwan to move on? Maybe he should some interest on Seungkwan, flirting here and there. But what if he thought that Vernon is a total jerk because he acts like there’s nothing happened forgetting all of misunderstanding between them even has the nerve to flirt him? Will he hate Vernon even more? That’s the last thing Vernon wants to be happened. Maybe he should act nonchalant trying to be subtle. But what if he’ll be too late and Seungkwan finally has someone in his life in the process? He bangs his head on the wall behind him grunting because of the sore feeling on his back head.

“You should do it harder so you can completely faint. It’ll make everything easier.” Minghao sits beside him sipping his hot black coffee. They are in the front of the course building sitting in the bench near the gate. Vernon flinches a little due to surprised.

“When did you walk out of the building? I didn’t see you passing the gate.”

“I have my way.”

“Did you just jump from the building again? It’s 5 meters from the ground, hyung. You could’ve hu-”

“Whatever. I’m sitting here wasting my precious time not to hear your ranting. What’s up with you though?”

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, nothing that makes you banging your head against the concrete wall.” Vernon scoffs and Minghao gives him the look.

“What? So you can give me one of your shitty advices?” Vernon sits resting his back on the wall.

“It still counts as an advice.”

“I’m okay, hyung. Just a little bit fed up with the project things.” Vernon lies feeling itchy on his tongue for lying. He doesn’t really feel to tell other people about his pathetic love life. At least not for now.

“Well, don’t over think too much. You’ll hurt your brain.” Minghao laughs hearing an offended ‘Hey’ from Vernon. “We’re in this together as a team. You are the leader but we’re working this together since the very beginning. So don’t put all of the burden to yourself. It’s not healthy, man.”

“Thanks, hyung. That’s a good advice by the way. And talking about healthy, is that your ninth coffee for today?”

“When did the last time you eat vegetable? Or fruit?” Minghao glances at him sipping his coffee.

“Touché.”

 

 

 

The day past so fast, too fast for Seungkwan’s liking. He doesn’t know why he feels nervous thinking about the meeting. It’s not like a very first meeting he’s been ever had. He’s been attending tons of meetings like this . Maybe it’s not about the meeting but more likely about the particular someone who’ll be in the meeting. His hands are cold, he can’t make his legs stay still and he keeps reading whatever in the coursebook for the past 15 minutes. He sighs putting his hand on his chest to normalize his beating heart. ‘ _I shouldn’t feel nervous. He is just a guy who will be working with me for the goddamn project. It’s not like only both of us who will attend the meeting. There are plenty of them and I’m not gonna be the only person he’ll talk to and vice versa. Right_?’

“Yeah, you’re right.” Jeonghan answers Seungkwan’s monolog that apparently he said it clearly.

“Did I say that out loud?” Seungkwan looks up seeing Jeonghan and Jihoon standing in front of his desk. They already have their bag on and ready to go home.

“Yeah. It feels like a déjà vu though. You said the exact same thing when you had a project group together for Sociology class with Vernon.” Jihoon can’t hide his amusement.

“I did? How do even you remember?”

“Well, maybe because you were mumbling that mantra for days after you found out that Vernon was in your group.” Jeonghan says patting Seungkwan’s head.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Seungkwan screams on top of his lung. So unlikely for him because he always stays composed on the school never showing his emotion in front of his coworkers or even his students. He buries his head on his bag scratching his head.

“Wow, I didn’t see that coming.” Jihoon is completely taken aback taking a few steps behind.

“Are you okay, Seungkwan?” Joshua stands behind Seungkwan looking genuinely concern.

“I’m fine, Josh. I’ll be ready in a minute.” Seungkwan sits up straight and starts to pack of his stuff.

“Okay, then. I’ll wait outside.” Joshua smiles and goes out of the teacher’s office.

“Seungkwan, you know what? This is just a friendly advice but maybe you can give him a chance and date him. He is completely whipped and doesn’t even bother to hide it.” Jeonghan looks at Joshua’s direction.

“Him? Who? You mean Joshua? Jisoo hyung? I’ve told you many times, hyung. He does not have a crush on me. He is just being a nice friend. That’s all, nothing more like your unrealistic love story.” Seungkwan closes his bag standing up from his chair. Jeonghan only gives him a ‘seriously-why-are-you-so-dense-?’ look. But Seungkwan doesn’t really pay attention to his hyungs.

“Besides, I don’t have any interest on having romantic relationship again.” Seungkwan turns around facing up his hyungs holding his head up.

“Yeah, except for a guy who will meet you on the meeting.” Jeonghan scoffs

“Not to mention, that guy making you nervous and scream just two minutes ago.” Jihoon smirks.

Seungkwan rolls his eyes and walks out from them not in the mood to give his ‘caring’ hyungs a decent comeback. He will deal with that later. After the meeting.

___________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t really make the story moving fast. But basically I’ll write when it involves around Seungkwan and Vernon.
> 
> As you can see, Seungkwan doesn’t really hate the idea of seeing Vernon again and Vernon doesn’t really feel scared seeing Seungkwan again. That’s some progress huh? Right? Or not?
> 
> by the way, you can hit me up on instagram @luna.verkwan  
> I post verkwan fanart :)


	12. I'm (still) waiting for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vernon reassures Seungkwan once again

“Are you sure this is the place?”  
  
“Well, based on the text, yes.” Seungkwan check his phone again.  
  
“What about you call him?” Joshua feels uneasy with a building in front of them. They are standing in front of tattoo parlor painted in black with a rusty board sign written in white ‘Coups Tattoo’. Seungkwan is pretty sure this tattoo parlor is the place based on the text Vernon sent him yesterday. Is that dumbass just messing around with him? Is it because they have unfinished business between them? So unprofessional! Seungkwan is in the middle of contemplating whether he should call that jerk or not. One thing for sure, he doesn’t want to hear Vernon’s voice through the phone right now. Just thinking about that already makes him feeling overwhelmed.  
  
Seungkwan’s finger is hovering above the call button when a guy walking out of the tattoo parlor. The guy has a red hair and several piercing in his right ear. He wears a black tank top which shows tattoos covering all over his left muscular arm. Both of the teachers look at the guy and feel their body tense up. Joshua feels a shiver crawling down his spine intimidated by the guy’s aura while Seungkwan feels like crying thinking about worst scenarios which one of them is where they are kidnapped and being a victim of human trafficking. The guy seems notice two guys wearing coat and dress pants along with neatly styled hair, kinds of people who will not use his service in the tattoo parlor.  
  
“May I help you?” the scary guy walks closer to them making Seungkwan hiding slightly behind Joshua while Joshua wants to protect Seungkwan but at the same time frightened by the guy in front of them.  
  
“No, we just want to…a-a language course….place? Do you know….perhaps?” Joshua fails to gather his voice ending up stuttered mess. The tattoo guy frown his brows showing a piercing on his left brow. Joshua is in the middle of gathering his remaining voice to apologize for whatever he just said and for offending him when the seemingly scary guy smiles showing them a big gummy smile. Both Seungkwan and Joshua are completely taken aback by the sudden change because the scary guy who has tattoo all over his left arm suddenly looking like an innocent 10 years old boy who just get his first A in a class.  
  
“Ah, you mean Vernon’s course? The building is right beside this place.” The innocent-looking-when-he-smiles guy points on a yellow building besides them. Those two building have a completely different aura standing beside each other. Seungkwan notices a big board painted in pink ‘Diamond Language Community’. Seungkwan raises his brows reading the board.

 

 

  
  
_“Hansol-ah, do you know the prettiest stone in the world?” Seungkwan and Hansol were lying down in the grass. They were in a park near Hangang River after doing their jogging routine every Sunday morning. Hansol stirred his attention to Seungkwan who was looking at the blue sky above him. Hansol starred at the beauty beside him forgetting the question from the other boy. Seungkwan looked absolutely stunning in his eyes, his black hair was damp sticking to his forehead, his pink lips slightly opened catching breath because they were running five minutes ago, a droplet of sweat sliding from his forehead to his jaw and his skin was shining beneath the ray of the sun._  
  
_“Hansol?” Seungkwan looked at Hansol feeling a little bit annoyed._  
  
_“Ah, what was that?” Hansol snapped from his starring looking at Seungkwan’s doe eyes._  
  
_“Do you know the prettiest stone in the world?” Seungkwan repeated his question._  
  
_“A stone can’t be pretty.” He scoffed rolling on his side so he faced Seungkwan._  
  
_“Well, there is one. It’s called a diamond.” Seungkwan beamed happily. He just read an article about diamond from one of his sister magazines. Hansol only hummed as a respond._  
  
_“But, what about gold then?”_  
  
_“Well, gold is expensive we all know that. But a diamond is hella prettier than gold. I mean, gold only has yellow color but have you seen the colors in diamond?”_  
  
_“I thought gold has gold color.”_  
  
_“Whatever. My point is that a diamond is the prettiest stone in the world and I want you to agree with me.” Seungkwan pouted. Hansol only smiled fondly looking at the pretty boy beside him._  
  
_“Yeah, I agree with you, Boo.” But for Hansol, Boo Seungkwan is way prettier than a diamond._  


 

 

  
“Come on, let me walk you guys there.” The not-so-scary guy starts to walk to the next building. Joshua and Seungkwan look at each other and end up walking behind the actually-friendly guy. They arrive in the second floor and stop behind a door with a piece of paper sticks on ‘Staff Room. Do not enter unless you’re a staff.” The smiley guy opens the door and shouts unnecessarily loud. “Hey, we have guests! Where’s Vernon?” The teachers get in the room following him.  
  
The room is quiet big with five tables on every sides of the room. There are three cupboards full with books even there are more books piled up beside the cupboard. Seungkwan sees Seokmin sitting on one of the table which seems to be his table judging by a paper written ‘Lee Seokmin’ on the front side of the table. Seungkwan glances and finds Vernon’s table besides a table which belongs to Kim Mingyu. The table is an absolute mess making Seungkwan scrunches his nose in disgust. His hands are tickling wanting to clean the mess out of Vernon’s table.  
  
“Hey, you guys are on time!” Seokmin is already standing in front of them with his bright smile.  
  
“Yeah, we were a little bit lost actually.” Joshua says while Seungkwan’s attention is still occupied on the messy table.  
  
“They were wandering around in front of my place like for 10 minutes before I decided to ask them.” The guy now is looking at the piles of book taking one and sitting on the table near him.  
  
“Ah, that’s why you are here with Seungcheol hyung.” Both of them nod. Seungkwan says a quick thanks to the guy who finally has a name. Seungcheol smiles back at him.  
  
“Seokmin hyung! What should I do? I think they are-” suddenly someone runs in the staff room looking bewildered.  
  
“They are here, Vernon.” Seokmin chuckles pointing at the two teachers.  
  
“Oh, hey…glad to see you gu-” Vernon cuts himself when Seungkwan point a finger right on his face angrily.  
  
“You! You sent me the wrong address you dumbass!” Seungkwan walks closer making Vernon walks few steps behind.  
  
“I did?” Vernon feels his heartbeat beating fast cause of the sudden closeness to Seungkwan.  
  
“He did?” Seokmin titles his head questioning but actually amused by Seungkwan’s move. He can see Vernon is blushing right now.  
  
“Apparently, he did.” Joshua takes off his coat.  
  
“Well, this place in the ------- Street, 199.” Seungkwan glances at Seokmin and gets back glaring at Vernon.  
  
“You texted me, 198, moron!” Seungkwan walks closer again while Vernon hits his back on the wall behind him, he can’t step back anymore.  
  
“I’m…I’m sorry.” Vernon looking down blushing mess, he can’t really process anything when Seungkwan is so close to him.  
  
“Well, he can be stupid sometimes, Seungkwan …or most of the times. We are sorry.” Seokmin stands between them trying hard to suppress his laughter. He is lowkey enjoying a flustered Vernon. “Anyway, let’s go to the meeting room. We can’t have a meeting in this messy room.” Seokmin leads them out.  
  
“Well, the mess is only on one spot actually.” Seungkwan sass and straightens his coat referring to Vernon’s table. The table owner only smiles sheepishly scratching his head.  
  
Mingyu, Wonwoo and Minghao are already in the meeting room preparing the necessities for the meeting. Minghao notices them and says, “Oh, hello. You must be Boo Seungkwan right? My name is Minghao, I teach Mandarin. The tall one is Mingyu, teaches English and the other one is Wonwoo, teaches Germany. And you are?” Minghao looks at Joshua.  
  
“Joshua. I’m also a teacher with Seungkwan. English teacher.”  
  
“Oh, you teach English? We get a new friend, Vernon!” Mingyu beams at them.  
  
“Well, it’s getting late. Could we start the meeting now?” Seungkwan sits on one of chairs and takes off his coat.  
  
“Sure. Mingyu hyung, please open the ppt slide.” Seokmin and the rest sit on the remaining chairs and start the meeting.  
  
  
Seungkwan, Joshua and Vernon walk out of the building. The meeting spent about two hours and the further settlement is already arranged. They will do a need analysis tomorrow. Joshua shivers by the cold air hugging himself for warm when he suddenly find out something.  
  
“Ah, I forgot my coat! Kwan, I’ll be back in a minute.” Joshua dashes back leaving Seungkwan and Vernon alone.  
  
There is an uncomfortable silent between them. Seungkwan stares at the night sky above him while Vernon stares at Seungkwan. He knows that the other boy staring at him but doesn’t mind with that. Instead, he feels comfort being stared at. But the awkward silent is still there and Seungkwan hates awkwardness. So he finds something to talk about by reading the board displayed in front of the building.  
  
“So, diamond huh?” Seungkwan turning his head looks at Vernon.  
  
“Yeah, the prettiest stone in the world.” Vernon’s staring is not wavering even though Seungkwan stares back at him. But Seungkwan looks up again can’t stand looking at Vernon’s eyes which dims beautifully beneath the street light.  
  
“What do you think?”  
  
“Huh?” Seungkwan looks back at Vernon.  
  
“Diamond. What do you think about diamond?”  
  
Seungkwan looks down at his shoes, “I don’t know…I think they are…pretty?”  
  
“Boo, I-”  
  
“No! Don’t call me that!” Seungkwan glares at Vernon but the other boy is not affected with that.  
  
“Boo…” Vernon calls him softly making Seungkwan soften. His eyes getting teary again, but he blinks rapidly preventing them from spilling.  
  
“I want to talk to you….about everything. Since a long time actually, but I thought it would be unprofessional for me to put it between this project and I know you don’t want that.” Vernon steps closer to Seungkwan.  
  
“Boo, please look at me.” Vernon pleads making Seungkwan looks at him with his teary eyes.  
  
“I’m sorry for everything. I mean it. I know you don’t want to forgive me after what I did to you. I was stupid. I regret it till today and it breaks my heart every time I see you but I feel like I can’t breathe when I’m not thinking of you.”  
  
Seungkwan loses his words staring at Vernon’s hazel eyes. Vernon smiles genuinely and says,  
  
“But I promise I will not do the same mistake again and I hope you’re still waiting for me.” sincerity on his voice.  
  
“I-”  
  
“Seungkwan, sorry I took too long, that Mingyu guy kept asking me stupid questions.” Joshua walks with his coat on completely oblivious with the situation in front of him. “Come on, we have school tomorrow. See you tomorrow, Vernon.” Joshua drags Seungkwan from the building leaving Vernon who still staring at Seungkwan.  
  
  
Seungkwan opens his apartment door and resting behind the door not bothering to take off his shoes. Tears spill from his eyes, the tears which he’s been trying to hold on since his conversation with Vernon. But he is not sobbing again. He is not trying to stop the tears again. He doesn’t feel something stuffed on his chest anymore. He is not sad anymore…like the last time. They are not sad tears, they are happy tears.  
  
  
  
I’m still waiting for you.  
  
  
_________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor Joshua, thanks Mingyu
> 
> the real note tho, I have a doubt in this story...like, is it good? is it bad? too cliche?  
> I already made the plot of this story and in the middle of writing chapter 16...  
> but I'm afraid I won't able to make until the last chapter...  
> so, yeah..


	13. Hello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungkwan doesn't know why does his face become warm whenever Vernon smiles...

“Mr. Hong, someone from language community is looking for you.” a teacher who met Vernon and his friends in the hallway knocks Jisoo’s table. He looks up at the door where they are waiting while holding a big map.

“Hey, you guys are early. Let’s sit there.” Joshua walks to them and leads them to a gazebo near the teacher’s room. They put the maps in the stone table and take their seat. They are Vernon, Seokmin, Wonwoo and Minghao.

“So, as we arranged last night, I’ll do the need analysis in your class, Seokmin in Seungkwan’s class, Wonwoo in one of the Germany classes which is not decided yet and Minghao in Mr. Wen’s class?” Vernon straightens his blue shirt.

“Ah, Mr. Jeon will be in Mr. Kim’s class ( _AN: Well, let’s just say that Mr.Kim is a German language teacher, okay?_ ) and my class will be in 10. We should hurry up.” Jisoo stands up motioning Vernon to follow him.

“Oh, okay. What about you guys?”

“We’re okay, Vern. Just do your part. We already contact the teacher as for Wonwoo, I’ll ask Seungkwan the teacher’s contact.” Seokmin pushes Vernon to follow Joshua who already took his stuff from his table. Vernon nods and follows Joshua to his next class. The classroom is in the second floor, first grade class. Joshua stops in front of the classroom window looking at inside the room. It seems that the previous class is not over yet. Vernon also stops next to Joshua taking out a bundle of questionnaire from the map.

“Hey Joshua, should I give them at the beginning of the class or at the end of the class?” Vernon looks at the man besides him, but the other man keeps silent looking at particular someone inside of the class in awe with an adoration smile in his lips. Vernon follows Joshua’s gaze and finds Seungkwan writing in the white board. Vernon frown his brows by Joshua’s reaction for Seungkwan. Correction, _his_ Seungkwan.

“Okay, class. Please submit your work right now and collect this homework at least a day before our next class. If you have further question just come to the office or you can contact me. Time’s up. I’ll count to three for you to submit your work, one…two….” The students groan and run to the teacher’s table with their half done work. Seungkwan smiles in victory looking at his students’ defeated expressions.

“Thank you and now please prepare your English book for the next class because it seems that Mr. Hong is already here.” Seungkwan walks out of the class to see his coworker but slightly taken aback by a person standing behind Joshua.

“Hey, Josh. Good Morning, Mr. Chwe.” Seungkwan bows avoiding eye contact. Joshua gives him a small ‘hey’ and then quickly goes in to the class before the students go out of control. Vernon smiles at him lovingly not bother to hide his emotion anymore. “Good morning, Seungkwan.”

Seungkwan looks at the thick map in Vernon’s hand so he doesn’t have to see Vernon’s staring. He is trying to keep his facial expression but the pink tints in his checks bones are unavoidable.

“So…you do the need analysis in this class?”

“Yeah, we’ve arranged it last night, right?” Vernon steps closer so he can see Seungkwan’s blushing face more clearly.

“Hmm…of course, the meeting last night. Yeah…” Seungkwan palms are sweaty and he personally hates this kind of feeling. He wipes his sweaty hands in his brown sweater. They are silent for a minute but then, “Seungkwan?” Vernon’s soft voice makes him look up immediately. “Yes?”

“You look cute in this sweater.” Vernon tugs at Seungkwan’s sleeve feeling the fabric between his fingers. Seungkwan is blushing mess and can’t really process the event in front of him. He thinks every possible vocabulary to respond Vernon’s sudden compliment. His mind is blank, he can’t recall any language function to respond a simple compliment. Hell, he is a Korean language teacher. For God sake!

Vernon chuckles looking at Seungkwan’s blushing face. He ruffles Seungkwan’s brown hair which apparently is not styled as usual, “Seokmin is waiting for you and Joshua is obviously waiting for me now.” He glances at Joshua who’s throwing dagger with his glare. “I’ll see you at lunch?”

“Hmm..” Seungkwan nods and walks out from Vernon slightly running, he almost trips but then really running after he turns left out of Vernon’s sight.

 

 

 

_Seungkwan run to the living room wanting to meet Hansol as fast as possible. He saw Hansol with a blue sweater seeing fishes in an aquarium near the television._   


“ _Come on, I’m ready.” Seungkwan fixed his hair a little._

“ _Okay… Let’s go- Woah!” Vernon widened his eyes with his mouth agape. He was in a complete awe for a boy in front of him._

“ _What’s wrong? Am I weird? I know I shouldn’t wear this. Or is it my hair?” Seungkwan turned on his heel planning to rid off the stupid pink sweater and comb his hair again. But Hansol quickly grabbed both of his hands then smiled down at him._

“ _No…don’t. You look cute in that sweater and your hair is fine.” He squeezed Seungkwan’s hands softly._

“ _Really?” The cute boy looked up completely aware with Hansol’s hands in his._

“ _Yes. See, I’m wearing the blue one while you’re wearing the pink one. We’re like a couple. A cute couple. And your hair looks fluffy. Oh my gosh, how can you be so cute, Boo?” Hansol pressed his forehead with Seungkwan’s enjoying the pink blush on the cutie boy._

“ _But I want to look handsome, like you! Not looking cute!” Seungkwan pouted. Vernon titled his head a little taking a few step away then stared at the pouting boy from head to toe._

“ _Hmm…but I like you the best when you’re looking fluffy like this.”_

“ _You like it, Hansollie?”_

“ _Yeah, it makes me wanting to hug you!” Hansol scrunched his nose then rested his hands on the boy’s waist._

“ _Hug me then.” Seungkwan smiled widely making his blushing checks forming into cute little buns and his eyes squinted cutely. Hansol hugged his Boo tightly ignoring the quick heartbeat from his heart because he could feel the same heartbeat from Seungkwan._

“ _You should wear sweater more often, Boo.” Hansol mutter quietly while the shorter boy only let a content sigh._

 

 

 

“Were you waking up late this morning?” Jihoon opens his cola bottle while munching his pizza. Jeonghan sits beside him eating an apple smiling mischievously. Seungwan comes to the cafeteria with Seokmin after finishing his afternoon class. He immediately regrets his decision to make Seokmin meeting his best friends. He rather eats his lunch in the teacher’s room right now. Because that smile from Jeonghan hyung and that innocent face of Jihoon hyung can turn into unexpected and unwanted thing which Seungkwan obviously hate. Well, at least if his lovely Jeonghan hyung can kindly close his lips for the rest of the lunch that would be nice. But he knows Jeonghan too well he almost hates it.

“Kwannie, where’s Vernon?” Jeonghan titles his head placing his half eaten apple. Seokmin and Seungkwan sit on the chair in front of them. Seokmin who’s oblivious with Jeonghan’s smile helps him by answering,

“He is still with Jisoo apparently. He does a need analysis for the last class.” Seungkwan smiles a little by Jeonghan unsatisfied expression. He knows this hyung wanting to tease him but fails miserably. HA! Bless Seokmin hyung’s innocent mind.

“You haven’t answered _my_ question!” Jihoon pouts making Seokmin widen his eyes because that something that Jihoon rarely does in front of other people besides his two best friends.

“Ah, sorry…I’m not. Why are you asking?” Seungkwan opens his lunch box. A portion of corn soup with carrot and tomato for the dressing ( _AN: I don’t know anything about healthy food…so…_ ).

“Well, you hair is not styled and you are wearing a freaking brown sweater. So I assume you were running late and can’t make to your usual style. You know, shirt and stuff.”

“Uhmm…I just feel like it. Besides, today is cold so wearing a sweater is a smart decision.”

“Yeah…smart decision.” Jeonghan nods squinting his eyes at Seungkwan who somehow avoids eye contact. Before Jeonghan teases him more, Vernon and Joshua walks up to their table.

“Hey, guys! Hello, Seungkwan.” Vernon takes a chair from other table and sits beside Seungkwan smiling at him sweetly. Seungkwan only replies with a small “Hi”. Seokmin and Jihoon can’t hide their surprise while Jeonghan clicked his finger knowingly. Because apparently the two boys who was avoiding each other few days ago are letting out flower petals every time they’re looking at each other now. On the other side of the table, Joshua sits beside Seokmin looking at Seungkwan and Vernon not amused.

“You done with your Job, Vern?” Jeonghan is completely content with the situation in front of him. He high key likes seeing flustered Seungkwan.

“Yeah, thanks to Joshua. We only need to process the data for further analysis.” Vernon glances Jeonghan and goes back staring at Seungkwan while the brown hair boy eating his soup silently. Jeonghan who’s clearly enjoying the event can catch the glare from Joshua to the younger people in front of him. A light bulb flick in his head making him smirks. He turns his attention to Joshua who comes to the table empty handed unlike the rest who at least have food to eat.

“By the way, fancy seeing you here, Josh. I’ve never seen you in the cafeteria before.”

“Ah…I…just want to talk about the project…yeah, that’s all. It’s not like I’m following Vernon or anything.” _so he won’t spending his lunch with Seungkwan_. Joshua clears his throat unconsciously sending glare to Vernon.

“NO!” Jihoon slams the table making people in the cafeteria looking at their direction. “No talking about job in front of food! That’s against the rules! _My_ rules.”

“Your rules?” Seokmin sips his water after choking his food because of Jihoon sudden outburst.

“Yes. Besides, that would be very rude to talk about heavy stuff while eating. You’ll get indigestion.”

Sungkwan laughs a little at his sometimes-actually-scary hyung. Vernon is completely amused with the black hair guy beside him. He whispers near Seungkwan’s ear oblivious with the sudden stiff from the boy.

“Is he always like this? Or is he just changed a lot?”

“He…changed a lot.” Seungkwan also whispers before biting his lips making Vernon’s checks blush a little. Jeonghan is smiling like a cheshire cat while Seokmin who also notices biting back his smile. And Jihoon still continues his speech about respecting food to Joshua.

________________

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is kinda ‘meh’ to me…so it’s a filler chapter, maybe? But I tried to give a little fluff and blushing Verkwan here and there…to make up for it, hopefully.


	14. Hi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet again, coincidentally ...

_“I like you…No. I love you, Hansol-ah”_

_“I’m sorry, Boo. I can’t.”_

****

 

Seungkwan wakes up from the alarm on his phone. His head is pounding hard and he can feel a track of dry tears on his cheek. He stares at the white ceiling above his bed. His alarm is still ringing but he doesn’t really have the energy to turn it off. It’s still 6 in the morning but he feels like to sleep again, all of his energy is drained remembering that dream. A dream which was actually happened five years ago. A curl of bitter smile tugging on Seungkwan’s lips, he blinks his eyes slowly and tries to think the meaning behind those sentences. Why did he apologize? Why did he say that _he can’t_? He can’t from what? There are so many questions so early in the morning. Seungkwan closes his eyes and slowly trying to reach his phone in the night stand because the sound of the alarm makes his head hurt even more.

Just as he grabs his phone, the alarm is cut by a message. Seungkwan opens the message squinting his eyes by the light from the phone.

_Mr. Chwe_

_Morning, Seungkwan. Let’s meet at Star Café at 6 p.m. for the further arrangement. I’ll share you the location._

Star Café? Is that Soonyoung’s café? Seungkwan sits up before typing his reply.

_Boo Seungkwan_

_Don’t need. I know where it is._

_Mr. Chwe_

_Oh, really? kay then. See you._

Seungkwan only stares the reply suddenly feeling annoyed by those two words. ‘ _See you_ ’. He wants to see me? Yeah, of course he wants to see me. It’s for a freaking meeting and the stupid project. Seungkwan tosses his phone into the pillow and curls up in his blanket again.

Today, there is no school so he can finally have another sleep this morning which is very rare of him to do. Usually, Seungkwan will always get up at 6 o’clock and do his morning routine whether there is school or not. But today is different. Not only today though, this month is different. Seungkwan realizes that these days he broke everything he used to do for the past years. Name it, he wears sweater more often, he doesn’t spend time again to styled his hair, he forgot to pay the monthly bill this month (the landlord finally asked his again twice this week), he ate a doughnut on Wednesday, on his veggie day, because Vernon brought it and shared it to the teachers in the school, he drank a can of cola because Vernon gave it to him, and et cetera and et cetera. All of this is caused by a person…a man…a man with brown hazel eyes, big gummy smile, and adorable laugh. Ughh! Seungkwan hates the idea that he can’t hate him that easily.

Why does Vernon not act like a jerk? It’ll be a lot easier for Seungkwan to hate him, or at least dislike him as a person. Right? Why does Vernon have to be really kind to Seungkwan? Why does he always ask if Seungkwan already ate his breakfast or not? Why does he care anyway? It’s only a freaking breakfast! And why does he have to mention that Seungkwan looks cute in his sweater…like every single time? WHY???!!!

He suddenly craves something really sweet. He wants to eat the strawberry short cake from Soon’s café. But today is Wednesday, his veggie day and he already broke it for the last two weeks. You know what? Fuck it! He already broke a lot of thing this month and he doesn’t even care to keep the usual routine anymore. He can eat all of cakes he wanted to eat. He is an adult who has his own money. He can afford it and not to mention Soonyoung likes to give him free cakes sometimes. And most importantly, it’s a cake he is talking about here. No one should deny a cake. No one.

He can gain few pounds for all he cares. Maybe Vernon will dislike him when he gaining few pounds! Well, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. In fact, it’s a win-win solution! Vernon will leave him alone and Seungkwan can get every cake in the café.

Seungkwan springs from his bed, grabbing a towel so he can have a quick shower. He should look good if he wanted to get a free cake from Soonyoung. He sees his wardrobe pulling a white shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He combs his hair a little not minding to put gel like usual. He grabs his wallet and his car key because he feels like to drive his car today. He doesn’t want to take a walk like what he always did for the sake of burning calories. No, not today.

Morning breeze greets Seungkwan as soon as he steps out of his apartment. He goes back again to pull a light pink jacket. The radio is playing Super Junior song and Seungkwan sings along with windows down not minding the strange stare from people on the sidewalk. Seungkwan feels great today, No, Seungkwan _wants_ to feel great today so he can put aside the ugly feelings from the dream last night.

 

 

Seungkwan parks his car few blocks from the café. He double checks his hair then grabbing his wallet and phone. He walks lightly while humming the last song played on the radio.

Soonyoung is currently sitting in the floor contemplating a menu board in front of his café. His apron and his face are smeared by dust from blue chalks which scattered besides him.

“Good morning, hyung!” Seungkwan jumps in front of Soonyoung making the older boy startles and screaming on top of his lung. “Woah..chill, hyung..” Seungkwan laughs at the wide eyes boy.

“For the sake of chocolate parfait, Seungkwan! Can you spare your hyung and not give me a heart attack in the morning.” Soonyoung stands up dusting the dirt from his jeans.

“Sorry, hyung-ah.” He points on the dusted apron, “But I think you should change that. I don’t want to taste chalks on my strawberry shortcake.”

“What? Ah, right. Come in, the cake should be baked now. I like your jacket by the way, so I’ll give you a free slice.” See? You should look good to get free cake from Soonyoung. Life hack!

Seungkwan chirps a ‘Thank you, hyung. You’re the best!’ and sits on his usual table near by the window. The café is not crowded yet because it’s only 7 in the morning. In fact, the café just opens when Seungkwan came in. Seungkwan stares at the people passing by the café when he spots two familiar figures on the other side of the road. A brown haired man is dragging a black haired man who looks very sleepy. Seungkwan squinting his eyes to make sure the face of those people. He widens his eyes when he recognizes those faces and also those people are obviously going straight to his direction. Seungkwan’s gaze follows them then he hears a bell from the café door and a yell from a very familiar voice.

“Good morning, my brother Soon! I bring you the English man!” the brown haired man, Seokmin goes straight to the counter leaving the black haired man, Vernon by the door.

“I’m not an English man. I’m from New York and it’s 7 in the morning, hyung!” He grumbles sitting on the nearest chair and rest his head on the table.

“Soon? Oh~ Soonyoung~ Where are you, buddy~” Seokmin looks around the café then screams once again when he spots a familiar brown hair sitting on the corner of the café. Seungkwan freezes cursing under his breath.

“Well..well..well, look who’s where. Aren’t you the infamous Boo Seungkwan- stop covering your face with a tissue, Seungkwan. I already saw you.” Seokmin’s loud voice makes Vernon sits right up on his chair frantically looking around the café. He sighs in relieve smiling when the person he is looking for turns around and gives half-hearted wave. His smile is faded when he remembered his appearance right now. He takes out his phone using it as a mirror as he checks his bed hair. Vernon then checks his outfit and blaming his lazy ass for not changing his outfit before going to the café. Well, no one told him that he will meet his ultimate crush in a café he never went before and at 7 in the morning. He wears sweatpants, an over-sized t-shirt which he wore to sleep last night, a red hoodie and a pair of freaking slippers. His heart sinks a little seeing Seungkwan walks up to them.

Fuck. He looks fluffy with his pink jacket making Vernon has to hold his urge to give him a bone-crushing hug. Vernon keeps his cool by smiling warmly at the fluffy boy who’s sitting in front of him. The boy unconsciously returns the smile which makes Vernon caught off guard. He feels his cheeks getting warmer.

“I don’t know that I’ll meet you here, Seungkwan.” Seokmin pats the boys tousle brown hair.

“Me neither, hyung. I-”

“Seungkwannie~ oh, there you are. Why are you not sitting on your usual pla-” Soonyoung comes up with a slice of strawberry shortcake and a cup of hot chocolate. He immediately hugs his best friend or self-proclaimed brother as soon as their eyes meet.

“Lee Seokmin my man! Oh, here’s your cake, Kwannie. Seokmin, I thought- Oh, so you’re the English man Seokmin talked about?” Soonyoung is jumping excitedly while still side hugging Seokmin.

“Uhm..yeah?”

“Great! Come on, I’m extremely needing your help…like right now!” Soonyoung grabs Vernon’s wrist and drags him out of the café.

“What was that?” Seungkwan slices the cake with a little spoon before sipping his hot chocolate. Seokmin laughs a little then sits on Vernon’s chair.

“Soon wants to write something cool in English on his board. I can’t help but Vernon can, so yeah, you saw the rest.”

“Hmm…okay, real question.” Seungkwan puts down the spoon then asks, “You know Soonyoung hyung?”

“Yeah. Well, practically, we are roommate.” Seungkwan gasps but Seokmin gives more explanation before the pink jacket boy can ask more. “Since a year ago actually…and I often come here in the morning. Now, your turn.”

“Ehmm…I…me and my friends usually hang out here after school…and I pretty much already here since day one.”

“That’s why we never met before.”

“Yeah, but the world is small so eventually in some point we will bump at each other anyway.”

“Correction, _this city_ is small.” Seungkwan nods smiling before eats his cake again. Ten minutes later, Vernon and Soonyoung get in the café again with Soonyoung is covered with pink and blue chalk dust. Seokmin goes to the kitchen following Soonyoung talking about stupid stuff because they’re laughing loudly afterward. Vernon sits besides Seungkwan while adjusting his hoodie. He suddenly feels underdressed sitting besides Seungkwan. Seungkwan glances, the slippers catch his attention.

“Quite outfit you have there.” Seungkwan snickers at Vernon’s blushing face

“I was not ready, okay? I mean, I was still sleeping when Seokmin hyung decided to drag me here.”

“You were not up at 7?” Seungkwan gives his judging gaze.

“I-I’m not a morning person…and I pulled all nighters for the past f-few days…” Vernon looks around but Seungkwan. _What the hell! Why did I stutter?_

“You shouldn’t” Seungkwan stirs the hot chocolate absentmindedly.

“What?”

“You shouldn’t. That’s not good for your health.” Seungkwan mutters quietly.

“Thank you.” He smiles looking at the cute boy besides him.

“For what?”

“Well…I mean, you care…for…my health?” that comes out like a question. Seungkwan’s ears are red by the sudden realization.

“I-I don’t…No, I mean- of course I do. But, it’s for the project. Yes, you can’t be sick for the project.” Seungkwan gulps his not-so-hot-anymore chocolate.

“Hmm…you’re right, for the project.” Vernon smiles bitterly. There is an awkward moment between them for few minutes before Vernon decides to at least say something. He eyes a car key and a wallet besides the cup.

“You drive?”

“Yes. You? Ah, you came here with Seokmin hyung.”

“Nah, my apartment is like three blocks from here. We walked here.”

“Your apartment is near from this café?” Seungkwan looks at him in disbelief. How come he never met Vernon before? They were literally passing by each other after all this time.

“Yeah, do you still remember Minghao hyung, the Chinese tutor? We are roommate.” Seungkwan responds with a nod. Vernon changes the topic again when seeing the half eaten strawberry shortcake.

“I thought you hate strawberries. You said that they’re too bitter for your taste.”

“I used to hate them but someone forced me to eat a bucket of strawberries as a dare few years ago.” Seungkwan sighs loudly before stands up gathering his stuff. Vernon watches him with questioning look.

“Look, Vernon. I can’t meet you outside work. I’m sorry.” But Vernon quickly grabs his wrist stopping Seungkwan’s steps.

“I- I understand. You don’t have to apologize though. It’s me after all.” Vernon gently lets go Seungkwan’s hand. “But, we’re still up for the meeting, right? Don’t worry, there will be others too.”

Seungkwan nods and says a quiet ‘ _See you later_ ’ before goes out of the café leaving Vernon on the empty café by himself.

 

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a progress…I guess? I love the idea of Seungkwan in pink. Also, platonic best friend SeokSoon!!!  
> .  
> And,  
> I'm so sorry...because I'm gonna be insanely busy this month, dealing with school stuff :(  
> So, I'm gonna pause this story for about a month (?)  
> .  
> I'll come back! I promise~  
> Thanks for reading :)


	15. Can I have this date?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD! I'm not dead yet!  
> .  
> I know it's lame for me to come back again after so freaking months!  
> I got writer block and was doubting my own story...oh well,  
> But now I pushed myself to actually continue the story cause I already made the plot along with the background story already.

“Is it just me or Seungkwan is actually a cutie pie? ( _AN: IKR!!!?and no, it’s not just you, honey_ )” Minghao sits in the couch scrolling through instagram. They are currently are enjoying their free day in Vernon and Minghao’s apartment. Wonwoo, Vernon and Seungcheol take turn playing video game while Seokmin and Mingyu in the kitchen trying a new recipe Mingyu found online. Vernon sits up straight feeling alarmed by the sudden question.

“Who?” Seungcheol takes off his attention from the screen while Vernon tries his best to survive in the video game but still paying attention to the conversation behind him.

“Seungkwan. Boo Seungkwan. The Korean language teacher we work with.” Minghao types something on his phone.

“Well, he is actually not bad. Why do you say so?”

“Not bad? He is a charmer! Look at this!” Minghao shoves his phone to Seungcheol. “and this…and this.” He keeps scrolling the instagram feed, Seungcheol only nods approvingly.

“He is quiet cute.” Seungcheol says after seeing a couple of selfies.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Minghao retorts back to the other side of the couch, continues scrolling the feeds.

“Ha! You lose! Seungcheol hyung, your turn.” Wonwoo settles back to his position ready for the next match. Vernon sighs moving to the couch before looking at Minghao almost giving a glare.

“What’s wrong, Vernon?” Minghao asks without his eyes leaving the phone. Vernon tries his best to act nonchalantly by controlling his voice.

“Nothing. It’s just…what do you mean by….how can you….you know, you’re talking about Seungkwan earlier.”

“Hmm? I don’t really get your question but I’m stalking his instagram right now.”

“His instagram?” there is surprise in Vernon’s tone.

“Yes. Look at this. I didn’t really pay attention before but actually he is pretty charming and I love his style.” Minghao shows him Seungkwan’s feeds. Vernon does know that Seungkwan has an instagram account. He just doesn’t want to check on it. It is because deep down on his heart, he is afraid that in some point he will see a photo of Seungkwan’s wedding someday. But forget about the wedding right now, instead, his hyung apparently thinks that Seungkwan is attractive and that’s never be a good sign. Minghao is the type to score a date with whoever he finds attractive and the next person could be Seungkwan. The last thing he wants is his fashionable hyung has a date with his forever crush. It is because every person who had a date with Minghao will always want a second date and next dates. He is a good talker and knows how to make someone comfortable around him.

“Do you….like him?” Vernon quietly asks praying that the answer is not the least answer he wants to hear.

“What? I don’t know. Maybe? But well, if he asked me on a date, I certainly will not reject the idea.” Minghao puts down the phone then reaches out his coffee in a table beside the couch.

“FUCK! NO! YOU CAN’T!” Vernon yells making Minghao widens his eyes and the two other guys stop their game.

“Everything’s okay, guys?” Seokmin peeks from the kitchen with a pan on his hand.

“Well, Vernon is not okay apparently. Hey, you okay, buddy?” Seungcheol puts down the console game patting Vernon’s thigh.

“You should have a good explanation for yelling at me, Vernon.” Minghao looks annoyed but concern at the same time. Vernon snaps back and realizes his impulsive action a minute ago. He can feel all of the attention on him making him feels anxious even more.

“I…I’m sorry, hyung. I-I gotta go.” Vernon stands abruptly and grabs his phone and wallet before storms to the front door leaving a loud bang when he’s gone. Everyone is silent processing the youngest attic which never happens before. Seokmin sighs, puts down the pan and walks to the living room where the three guys still in silent.

“Care to explain?” Seokmin inquires. Wonwoo and Seungcheol just shrug because they were too immersed on the video game before. Seokmin’s attention turns to Minghao who still thinks about his previous conversation with Vernon.

“Ehm…I don’t really know why did he like that. But I just showed him photos and-”

“Photos?” Seokmin rises his eyebrow before sits on the couch.

“Do you mean Seungkwan’s photos?” Seuncheol peeps in.

“Yes. And I said that he is pretty charming and I kinda want to date him. Then Vernon suddenly yelled at me…But, hey, that’s usual for me to do, right? I don’t know why he looked so surprise. I mean, we’ve been roommates for years and he didn’t have any problem before.”

“Seokmin, where is the pan? Oh, what’s wrong with the atmosphere? Did I miss something?” Mingyu enters the living room wearing an apron and a spatula in hand. Seokmin rubs his temple contemplating whether he should tell them or not. He should ask Vernon’s permission first but it seems that the concerned boy is nowhere to be found now.

“Well,” Seokmin stops for a while thinking his choice of words. “I believe that all of you are grown adults and I expect you guys to not doing stupid things with the information I’m going to give you. You know, like teasing, asking unnecessary questions, and other stupid things which will make Vernon upset or even worse angry.” They nod waiting for Seokmin to talk again.

“So, to put it simple, Vernon and Seungkwan, back in the high school, had a ‘thing’ going on. I don’t really know the details because he told me the story when he was heavily drunk. But it obvious that he loves Seungkwan and Seungkwan loves him. But, they have a kind of problem between them which is not sorted out…yet. Even though I think their relationship right now is becoming better and better, unlike when they first met a month ago.”

“Wait, let me get this straight. Vernon and Seungkwan have a couple problem and they were in bad condition but somehow they meet up again because of the project and now they make up or something?” Minghao inquires.

“No, not yet. But they are working on it. But don’t worry, this problem will not affect the project. You guys already know that, right? I mean, you didn’t notice their problem before this, cause they didn’t show it at all.”

“Mingyu, why are you crying?” Wonwoo rubs the taller boy’s back who is now sniffling.

“It’s-It’s just so sad…they looked fine on the outside but actually sad on the inside. I’m such a bad friend…not knowing my friend’s struggle.” Mingyu wipes his tears with his apron.

“If you say like that, what about me?” Minghao sighs.

“They are fine, just need time. And you’re not a bad friend, Mingyu, you too, Minghao. He is the one who doesn’t want you to know in the first place.” Seokmin pats his head. “Now, I want you guys to act reasonably after knowing this fact, okay? If Vernon and Seungkwan want to act like there’s nothing happened while working the project so be it. And please, don’t ask Seungkwan regarding to this. He’ll feel uncomfortable around him and that the last thing Vernon wants to get.” Seokmin says with finality on his voice. They are in silent for a while processing the information before them.

“Well, we should know where Vernon is right now. It’s getting late and he’ll miss the dinner.” Seungcheol takes out his phone. “I’ll call him.” he walks out of the living room.

“Ah, my mashed potato!” Mingyu runs to the kitchen followed by laughing Seokmin while Wonwoo turn off the video game. Minghao sits quietly in the couch. He unlocks his phone opening instagram which is still on one of the Seungkwan’s photos. He stares at the photo for a while before smirking thinking about a plan. A plan to ruin his roommate sanity.

 

 

The community is in the school doing a post test to several classes. Seungkwan sitting in the cafeteria by himself eats his usual healthy food. He doesn’t have any class left for today while Seokmin helping Mingyu and Vernon giving post test. Minghao who was done with his job goes to the cafeteria to buy a cup of black coffee. He smiles spotting the guy he’s been stalked for few days.

“Hey, Seungkwan.” He sits right beside Seungkwan too close, invading his personal space. He puts his sweetest smile making the brown haired guy caught off guard.

“Minghao-shii. Can you…can you sit a little away from me. It makes me a little bit uncomfortable.” Seungkwan says quietly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Your smell is sweet. I like it.” Minghao still smiling, titles his head a little so his bang covers his brows.

“Thank you?” Seungkwan can’t really catch the reason why the Chinese tutor suddenly flirts him.

“Hey, what are you doing to my Seungkwan?!” Jun storms to their table before separating them more.

“Excuse me?” Minghao lifts his eyebrow confused.

“What are you doing to my baby Seungkwan?” Jun folds his hand furrowing not amused.

“Mr. Wen… _my baby_ Seungkwan? Seriously?” Minghao looks at Jun and Seungkwan but the other guy only goes back to his food not bothered.

“No. _MY_ _baby_ Seungkwan.” Jun taps his foot impatiently.

“Are you guys like a thing?” Minghao asks carefully and Seungkwan answers nonchalantly, “No. He is just…unique.”

“No. I just like to treasure my baby Kwannie~” Jun says in sugar coated voice back hugging the brown haired guy.

“Ugh…let go off me, Jun.” Seungkwan peels off Jun’s hands from his neck while the Chinese man says,

“Okay, then. See you, my baby. And you!” He points at Minghao changing his voice, “Don’t you flirt with my baby ever again!” then he walks bouncing on his feet out of the cafeteria.

“He is sure unique.” Minghao scoffs amused by the Chinese teacher because his attitude is completely different when he is teaching in the class.

“I’ve told you.” Seungkwan laughs putting down his spoon. He just finished his food and ready to go but Minghao stops him.

“I heard you like flowers.”

“How did you know that?” Seungkwan sits back on the chair.

“Well, I may have or may have not stalked your instagram account and saw lots of flowers in your photos.” Minghao rubs his back neck sheepishly.

“You did what? oh, okay…that’s kinda creepy. But, yes, I like flowers.”

“Great!” Minghao pulls out a ticket and a brochure and gives it to Seungkwan, “My friend will have an exhibition about Ikebana in the town hall next Sunday. I think you’ll like it.” Seungkwan looks at the ticket on his hand, glances at Minghao for a while then reading the information printed on the brochure.

“It’ll be fun. I just want to have someone to go with, someone who shares the same interest. Well, I don’t really specifically like flowers, but I love nature photography so I think it has the same idea.” Minghao sees Seungkwan still reading the brochure. “So, what do you say?”

Seungkwan smiles, “Thanks, Minghao-shii. It’s very sweet. Okay, I’ll come with you.” Seungkwan puts in the ticket on his wallet then excuse himself. Vernon saw all of the event in front of him clenching his fist until his knuckles turned to white.

“You can come out now, Vern.” Minghao glances back from where Vernon standing behind the wall. He walks to the table and don’t bother to hide his irritated expression.

“Did you just… ask Seungkwan for a date?” Vernon breathes out the question frustrated.

“Yes.” But before Vernon can snap at him, he shoves the same ticket he gave to Seungkwan earlier while grinning, “But, it’s not _my_ date, it’s _yours_. Thank me later.”

“Hyung…” Vernon looks at the ticket with teary eyes.

“Yeah, yeah…save the ‘you’re the best hyung ever’ for later, think about your date first so at least you will not make fool of yourself.”

“But…but, I allergic to flowers.” He looks up from the ticket.

“What the fuck?! Do you really have to ruin my perfect plan like that? Do you know how difficult I could get the tickets? I-” Minghao stops himself seeing the hopeless younger guy clutching the ticket in his chest. He sighs heavily thinking what he should do to the guy besides him right now.

“Do you have like a medicine to suppress the allergic or something? I don’t know how it works but I think you got my point.”

“I- maybe I still have some antihistamines on my drawer. I haven’t checked them again.”

“Antihi- what? whatever, yes you should check that. Or buy the medicines again. Anything, so you can have the damn date. I suffer enough to get the free tickets.” Minghao unlocks his phone checking the newest message which arrived a minute ago. “Ah, I gotta go. My friend from Thailand just arrived. I’ll e-mail you the post test result and also I can’t teach today.”

“Yes, hyung. Thanks for everything…for this. I’m sorry for almost snapped at you earlier.”

“Nah, it’s okay. You have all the reason to be upset. See you tomorrow, Vernon.” Minghao dashes out of the cafeteria leaving excited Vernon with his potential date on the ticket. He takes out his phone dialing a number.

“Hello, I like to make an appointment with Dr. Ren…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I have a brother like Minghao, please? Even though he is actually younger than me. And I also have unhealthy obsession with flowers <3


	16. Date

“Okay, you can do this, Hansol. I already ate the medicine an hour ago so everything will be alright. Inhale….exhale….” Vernon is one step away to the front gate of the town hall. He can see Seungkwan standing near the ticket booth wearing a blue sweater looking cute as usual. Seungkwan checks on his phone several times waiting for someone who gave him a free ticket few days ago but the guy is nowhere to be seen. Seungkwan becomes impatient because the exhibition will be started in ten minutes and he doesn’t want to miss a second of it. Seungkwan calls again for nth time but apparently the older guy turns off his phone. Seungkwan is about to step to the ticket booth so he can get in already when suddenly a familiar voice called his name.

“Seungkwan, sorry for waiting.” Vernon runs panting heavily then fix his hair from running.

“Vern- what are you doing here?”

“Minghao hyung gave me this ticket…his friend from Thailand gave him a surprise visit so I come here instead.”

“But-”

“What? Are you disappointed to see me instead of Minghao hyung?” Vernon pouting gives him his best puppy eyes. Seungkwan shakes his head so he is not staring at those eyes too long. He gulps trying to compose himself.

“No, it’s just…I thought you’re allergic to flowers.”

“I am…but you’re here.”

“Well, that’s not an excuse. You can probably faint at the first ten minutes you get in the hall. I don’t want to carry your allergic ass when I want to have a good time here.” Seungkwan raises one of his eyebrows folding his arm to his chest.

“I already took my medicine so I’ll be fine…for at least two hours.”

“You know, Vernon, we’re not going in. I don’t want to make a scene there.” Seungkwan is ready to leave but a strong hand stops him.

“No, we should go. Minghao hyung had a hard time to get the free tickets and…I don’t know if I can spend time with you again…you know, outside work…just the two of us.” Vernon looks down at his shoes which suddenly become more interesting than a pair of brown eyes in front of him.

“Vern-”

“I know how much you adore flowers, and I know we couldn’t go to the park back then because of my allergy. And also how upset you were because I didn’t buy you flowers for our first date because I couldn’t buy them without getting itchy and sneezing every five seconds. I know that you were trying your best to hide your disappointment by telling me that you didn’t need stupid flowers to make a perfect date. I know how-”

“That was a date?”

“What?”

“What? No, never mind…Okay… we’re getting in. Come on, the exhibition is gonna start in 2 minutes.” Seungkwan drags him to the ticket booth, giving the staff their tickets and get into the hall.

“Tell me if you want to go out from here, Vernon.”

“Hansol” it makes Seungkwan looks up to the guy besides him, “Can you call me Hansol for today? Please?” Seungkwan only nods but that is enough for Vernon. Their hands are now intertwining but both of them don’t bother to apart their hands soon. They walk to the main stage where the MC opens the exhibition. Vernon bits back his grin feeling the warmness from Seungkwan’s hand against his.

“Seungkwan?”

“Yes, Hansol?” the word comes naturally from his lips.

“Can I call you Boo for today too?” Vernon eyes him nervously, Seungkwan looks down at their intertwined hands then glances at Vernon before pays attention to the main stage.

“No.” Vernon can’t hide his sad eyes but the shorter boy doesn’t want to see them right now. Vernon bits his lower lip thinking whether he can push a little bit more or not. This situation is more than Vernon expected from when he woke up this morning. He can hear his name being said by the beautiful voice and he can even holds and feels the warm radiated from Seungkwan’s hand again. He really misses Seungkwan.

“What about Kwannie? Can I call you Kwannie?” Vernon cheers internally when he sees a pink blush painted on Seungkwan’s cheeks. The other boy looks away pretending to be interested on the bucket of lily on his right. After a few minutes waiting Vernon hears a mutter from the blushing boy.

“Whatever.”

Vernon beams happily. His grip on Seungkwan becomes tighter as he bits his lips to prevent him from grinning too wide. He feels his cheeks become warm too when Seungkwan also grips his hand and rubs his thumb in small circle while still watching a staff making a flower crown.

“Do you also want to make one, Kwannie?” Vernon points at a pink flower crown displayed on the table.

“I can’t.”

“I’ll make you one.”

“Oh, no please. We both know how incapable you are in crafting. You’ll end up making a bird nest instead. You’ll ruin the flowers, so, no.” Seungkwan laughs after see Vernon’s offended face.

“But, I can try.” He says quietly a pout forming in his lips.

“No.” Seungkwan glances at him only to see hurt eyes from the taller. “It’s okay…but still, thanks, Hansol.” And Vernon smiles after hearing his name again.

Seungkwan knows that it works like a charm. But he doesn’t know when he will say that name again. So he tries to savor this moment as possible as he can, enjoying how that word slips from his lips. Even though he knows that he can’t stand hearing the same treatment from the other boy, he is quiet content with this situation now.

 

The exhibition is quiet interesting. They watch a performance from local artists, eat ice cream pot and buy some souvenirs and books from small shops. Vernon despite of wanting to be in the hall until the close time can’t help to feel itchy on his hands and nose. The skin which touched roses earlier becomes warm and red. He is fidgeting now, waiting for Seungkwan who is still talking about flower language with a staff. The grip of their intertwining hands is tightening as Vernon feels his eyes becoming watery. Seungkwan turns his attention to Vernon who is now unconsciously scratching his red neck.

“Hansol, are you okay?” Seungkwan steps closer titling his head so he can look at Vernon clearly.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Vernon’s body stiffen, he fight the urge to scratch his itchy neck. He hides his palm which already looked bruise red. Seungkwan notices the red mark on Vernon’s neck and his watery eyes.

“Let’s go. I know the effect of your medicine is gone by now.” Seungkwan drags Vernon after took a brochure about flower language and thanked the staff there.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbles quietly feeling guilty. They sit on the bench outside the hall as Seungkwan puts down his bag full of souvenirs beside the bench. He immediately checks on Vernon’s bruises like what he always did years ago.

“It’s fine, really. I had my fun.” He opens a bottle and soaks his napkin then dabs it to Vernon’s palm and neck. Vernon lets Seungkwan take care of him. He can’t help feel the butterfly on his stomach noticing how Seungkwan naturally taking care of him like he knows what he needs to do by heart.

“You can’t even buy a single flower there.” He rubs his eyes with the back of his hand sniffling.

“I bought some. But I asked them to deliver the flowers to my apartment and my mom’s house.” They are in silent for minutes while Seungkwan puts aside his napkin and take out tissues from his bag.

“Do you bring your medicine, Hansol?” He wipes Vernon’s neck unaware by how close they are right now. But it’s different for Vernon who is trying his best to keep staring on brown eyes right in front of him despite of the heat forming on his cheeks and his uncontrollable heartbeat. Because he doesn’t know if he will get the opportunity to see those eyes in such distance again.

“Hansol?” Seungkwan backs away then throwing the tissues to a dustbin behind him.

“Yes, Kwannie?” He says softly still staring at the brown haired boys fondly.

“Your medicine, do you bring it?” Seungkwan frowns his brows when Vernon is still in his own space not answering his answer. He snaps a finger in front of Vernon’s face,

“Earth to Hansol, seriously…if you don’t bring it we should buy one because your face is really red right now.” Vernon cups his own face and whimpers slightly making Seungkwan more concerned than before.

“I bring it. But my read face is not because of the flowers before. It’s because of a flower in front of me right now.” Vernon peeks a little through his fingers then squeals quietly covering his face again.

“A flower in front of-” Seungkwan widens his eyes and now it’s his turn to blush. “Oh my God, Hansol. You did not just-”

“Yes, I did.” Vernon sits straighten up, inhales deeply then look at flustered Seungkwan in the eyes. He ignores the tingling feeling on his guts aside so he can pay more attention to the blushing boy.

“You must feel better if you can say such a cheesy line like that.” Seungkwan glares at him but the latter finds him too cute for someone who gives what supposed to be a glare.

“I am. Thanks, Kwannie.” The shorter boy only glances at him but Vernon gives him his warmest smile, making involuntary smile curling up on Seungkwan’s lips.

“Stop that.” Seungkwan pushes Vernon lightly.

“Stop what? I didn’t do anything.” Vernon grins playfully thinking about another cheesy pick up line which he knows well that Seungkwan hates the most.

“You know, it’s sad that I have an allergic to flowers.” Seungkwan looks at him in concern, ready to comfort him but stops when Vernon continues, “except one…and I just figured it out today…which makes me really glad actually. Because my attention will always be on the most beautiful flower named Boo Seungkwan.” Seungkwan grimaces at that which makes Vernon laughing loudly.

“Stop, or I will send you a bucket of roses to your place.”

“If you come out with the roses, I don’t mind.” Vernon scoots closer, smiling from ear to ear watching flustered Seungkwan.

“Let’s go from here before I push you to the hall.” Seungkwan stands up picking up his souvenir bag leaving Vernon behind.

“Wait.” He slips his hand to Seungkwan’s and intertwines them, “Are you still up for dinner?”

“Your treat.” Seungkwan smiles cheekily before dragging Vernon so he can walk faster.

“Sure, Kwannie.”

 

They are walking to Seungkwan’s apartment. There is a silent but a comfortable silent between them. They are just simply enjoying each other company, their shoulder bumping, hands holding each other and smiles not leaving their lips.

“We are here, thanks for walking me here, Hansol.” Seungkwan looks down at their hands, doesn’t want them to be apart. Vernon gulps thinking about the risky move he’s been thinking since they finished their dinner.

“Anytime.” Seungkwan releases his hand from Vernon’s making him steps closer unconsciously.

“I know that we need to talk, but I don’t want to ruin our date today. And I know that we need to take this whole thing slow but I really want to do this right now.” Vernon takes both of Seungkwan’s hands, brings them near his lips then kisses them softly. He walks away almost immediately with blushing face which somehow can be seen under the dim street light.

“See you later, Kwannie.” Vernon almost runs, yelling from afar leaving a dazed Seungkwan whose hand still hanging mid air from where Vernon held before. He sits in front of his door burying his head on his knees while whispering,

“I hate you, Hansol.” But the smile on his lips won’t fade away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluff for you! I just found out that Vernon is allergic to flower few days before writing this chapter. I love the idea of holding hand and kisses on hand. I think that those things are just so sweet.


End file.
